


sell your soul (not your whole self)

by seoseouls (kihoseok)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: DAMMIT JAEHYUN, Dear god what have I done, I'll add more tags as we go, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Light Angst, M/M, Multi, Sugar Daddy AU, an utter mess, exchange students!ten and sicheng, im sorry, only for like 2 seconds, sicheng is adorable, somewhat slow build, sugar daddies! tae and johnny, this is a mess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-09-27 10:35:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 25,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10011998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kihoseok/pseuds/seoseouls
Summary: Ten and Sicheng need money, this is fine.





	1. again

**Author's Note:**

> Dear lord I'm sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so, AFTER ABANDONING THIS FOR A YEAR, I AM NOW WORKING ON THIS AGAIN. i have more inspiration now and i'm more experienced as a writer, so i'm going to be editing this and writing more! i'm sorry i left so long, i really have no excuse other than i had no inspiration for this. but i am back and ready to go!

They were fine.

Despite being kicked out of their home and thrown out onto the streets of Seoul, an unfamiliar and now seemingly cold city, Sicheng and Ten were fine. As for how they got there? Sicheng and Ten had met in a program for foreign exchange students and immediately hit it off. Despite the language barrier, Ten being Thai and Sicheng Chinese, they became fast friends. With the help of their mutual Korean lessons, they began to be able to communicate more and more, becoming closer than ever. When the tie had come for them to choose where they would stay for their exchange, they had jumped at the chance to sign up to be roommates in the bright city of Seoul, South Korea.

Alas, all had not turned out as planned. 

It had been a month into their year-long program, and all had been going well. Their host family was nice, if not a tad standoffish at first. They were welcoming to the best friends, the middle-aged man and woman welcoming them into their house and treating them nothing short of fantastic after getting to know them better. They were fed three meals a day and the woman was always attentive to their needs. The man, while more silent than anything, still provided good advice and short, yet smart remarks that made television all that more entertaining. One night, Sicheng and Ten had been curled up on the couch together, watching a drama together and mindlessly eating popcorn. Ten had mindlessly planted a kiss on his best friend's cheek, both not thinking anything of the small gesture. It was just something they did, a wholly platonic and pure action they had always shared, they never thought anything of it.

That is until the woman had dropped the teacup she was holding, causing it to shatter on the tile flooring as the man's face turned bright red.

 

Sicheng and Ten were now standing outside the house, their bags packed and a cab being called for them by Ten. He had grumbled something about knowing a man name Jaehyun that could help them. Leave it to Ten to know everyone, Sicheng thought. He was glad his best friend had the safety net of his friends in the city, although it felt odd to be glad for something in their current situation. 

"Ten?" He asked, his hand reaching out for his friend's, interlocking their fingers.

"Yes, Winwinnie?" he responded, looking up from his phone.

"Why- why did they throw us out? Did we do something wrong?" He asked, his brow furrowing in thought. Ten sighed, squeezing Sicheng's hand in reassurance. The boy had always grown up very sheltered, and Ten doubted the boy even knew what being gay was, let alone people's reactions to it. 

"We didn't do anything Winwin, it was probably a problem with the agency, okay? Don't worry about it," He reassured, looking for their cab hopelessly. He didn't want to explain what it was to the poor boy, let alone in their situation. Sicheng's face screwed up in confusion, his lips forming a pout. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but by the grace of God (Or probably whichever diety had decided to have mercy on them that day) the taxi pulled up and Sicheng's question was quickly forgotten. 

After hurriedly shoving their luggage in the trunk, Ten Ushered Sicheng inside, smiling weakly as the boy interlocked their fingers again as they both were seated. Ten checked his phone, looking at the address Jaehyun had texted him. "Uh, the SM hotel on 127 North please?" he asked the driver, who simply nodded and started to drive.

Thankfully, Sicheng was silent through the ride. He just sat with his hand in Ten's as he stared at the window, his eyes occasionally fogging up with tears. The elder soothed his friend by slowly rubbing his thumb over his knuckles, reminding Sicheng that _he was here_. When they arrived at the hotel, Jaehyun was standing outside the door, and Ten had never loved a man more in his life. He and Sicheng paid the driver, taking their luggage from the trunk and walking up to Jaehyun.

"Barely in Seoul a month and already stirring up trouble Ten?" He teased, laughing as the aforementioned Thai slapped him on the arm. 

"Hey, it wasn't our fault, fuck off Yoonhoe," He said, laughing it off. "Anyways, thanks for letting us crash here until we find a place to stay, we really owe you one," Ten said, looking at the man before him with his best puppy eyes.

"You bet your ass you do, you've owed me one since middle school." Jaehyun paused, sending a cursory curious glance at Sicheng, who hadn't said a thing the whole conversation. "By the way, who's the kid?" He asked, gesturing towards Sicheng. To Ten's surprise, Sicheng looked at Jaehyun, smiled and bowed.

"I'm Sicheng, but people call me Winwin. Thank you for helping us," He said, and Ten smiled at how outgoing the other had become. Before, he was so self-conscious about his Korean he almost never spoke, but with his development, he spoke more and more.

"Hey, I'm Yoonoh or Jaehyun, most people just call me Jae," He said, then turned around to gesture at the hotel behind him. It was large and made of brick, something odd to see in modern Seoul. The sight somehow comforted Ten, lie he was somewhere home. "This is the hotel I own. I inherited it from my father a while back. You're both welcome to stay as long as you want, so don't worry about paying," He said, turning back around. "Care to see your rooms?" 

( ~ * ~ )

An hour later, Ten found himself seated at the hotel bar with Sicheng and Jaehyun, nursing a fruity cocktail while Sicheng happily sipped on some strawberry soda Ten had never heard of before. "Knowing our dear Tennie here," Jaehyun said, smirking at the nickname. "I know you two won't want to be here for long, I know he hates to feel like he's freeloading. I know two guys who can help you out, I've known them since my freshman year of college. They're pretty chill, and they'll be here soon," He said nonchalantly, ignoring how Ten choked slightly on his cocktail. 

"Soon? As in how soon?" Ten asked, shooting Jaehyun a glare. 

"Within the hour, this was the only time they were free," Jaehyun said, chuckling to himself at what seemed to be an inside joke and suddenly Ten was _very_ sketched out. 

"Are you sure Jae? I need to make sure these guys aren't like- ax murderers or anything," Ten said, still eyeing his friend suspiciously.

"Oh, come on. Do you really think I'd set you up with murderers? Don't you trust me?"

"Barely."

"Good enough for me."

( ~ * ~ )

True to Jaehyun's word, within the hour, two admittedly well-built men in suits walked into the bar, making a beeline for Jaehyun. They walked with casual purpose, like they knew exactly what they were doing at all times. The first was tall, all long limbs and golden skin with brown hair and striking but soft features, greeting Jaehyun with a loud "Jaehyun! Buddy!" and a clap on the back. The second of the two was smaller but had an aura of power and importance nonetheless. He had black hair that fell into his piercing eyes that were a shade of blue from what looked to be colored contacts. They were both good looking (read: fucking _sex on legs_ ) and quite frankly, had jawlines that could cut steel. (Not that Ten was looking.)

"Well, I've filled you both in on each other, I trust you four to talk it out among yourselves. Have fun kids~," Jaehyun, who Ten was now unsure was either his savior or the reason he would die in a back-alley, disappeared from the bar. 

Ten shifted so he was in front of Sicheng, his gaze diverting to the men in front of them. No one spoke for a few seconds, the four all sizing each other up. 

"Hello, I'm Johnny," Said the tall one, the first to break the silence. He stuck out his hand to Ten, who shook it firmly. 

"Ten," He simply replied, hearing a small "I'm Winwin," sound off from behind him.

"Taeyong," The other man said, shaking Ten's hand as well before moving on to Sicheng's. They both had sharp contrast, even in their temperature. While Johnny's skin was hot, so hot Ten was almost concerned the man had a fever, Taeyong's was cold like ice. It went with their personalities, he assumed. They seemed almost too different to be there together, like there was something wrong about them being somewhere so below what Ten assumed was their high status. 

"So, I assume Jaehyun told you how we're willing to help you out with your, well... predicament?" Johnny said, looking down slightly to meet Ten's eyes. Ten had never felt smaller than in that moment, and Ten instinctively clasped his hand with Sicheng's. 

"No, actually he didn't," Ten replied, shooting them a suspicious glance. Johnny sifted on his feet, casting a glance at Taeyong, who nodded ever so slightly before he began speaking. 

"Well, you see, we have a rather large household, a penthouse downtown. We haven't had company in a while, and you two are welcome there," Taeyong said, picking up for Johnny. 

"We don't want you to worry about expenses, we know you're both exchange students and probably worry about that stuff anyways. As you can see, or maybe as Jae told you, we're both important bosses at the company that owns a chain of restaurants up here on 127 and all over Seoul. We have spare cash to burn and then some. We'll take care of everything," Johnny said, seemingly having some sort of rehearsed routine.

"Anything and everything," Taeyong echoed, his raspy voice seeming to rumble in Ten's chest. 

Ten was taken aback, the offer reverberating in his ears. This was not happening, he did not get this lucky. Rich men did not just give their money away to people like him and Sicheng.

"All we ask for in return is your company and your time," Johnny finished, and suddenly everything clicked in Ten's head. He was angry, but he couldn't place _why_. Maybe it was because Jaehyun assumed he couldn't take care of himself, maybe it was because he'd dragged Sicheng into this mess, he didn't know.

"We'll think about it," He hurriedly answered, immediately pulling (read: dragging) Sicheng out of the bar to find Jaehyun. When they did, Ten practically launched himself at the man, a death glare in his eyes.

"You set us up with _sugar daddies?!_ "


	2. switch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for this dumpster fire i call a story

_"You set us up with sugar daddies?!"_

 

"Whoa, whoa, calm down Ten!" Jaehyun said, flusteredly backing away from the raging Thai. "It's not what you think, they really just want company! That's it! I wouldn't set you up with them if all they wanted was," he paused to let his gaze flicker to Sicheng, stopping himself from saying something that would scare the boy. "...that. I trust Taeyong, and I trust Johnny too, they wouldn't do that," He fired back, causing Ten to bristle more. 

"And how do you know them exactly? Sugar Daddies 'R Us?" He snapped, fire in his eyes.

"No, like I told you, I know them from college. Johnny and I were roommates all four years and... I dated Taeyong, they're good people, I promise," Jaehyun said, still not pacifying Ten. 

"You _dated_ Taeyong?!" He almost screamed, causing Jaehyun to roll his eyes. He was so _stubborn_ why the hell couldn't he take _one_ free thing in his life?

"Yes, I dated him. We both ended on good terms, we drifted apart because we were both always too busy with work. That has absolutely nothing to do with this situation now," He said, exasperation evident in his tone.

"Nothing?! It has everything to do with this!" He snarled, and Jaehyun snapped his head up, his eyes serious.

"Listen here Ten, we both know you don't have a lot of options. As much as I'd love to host you two forever, this isn't exactly a Hilton and I'm not exactly loaded," He replied, eyes softening. "I can keep you guys for two weeks at most, and we both know your host family isn't taking you back anytime soon. Unless you two plan to get steady, well-paying jobs within two weeks as foreign students along with your classes, or have some secret other friend here in Seoul to help you out, this is your only option," Ten deflated slightly, he _hated_ when Jaehyun used, logic, god forbid. "I don't like it any more than you, and if they even try to lay a finger on you, you can come right back here and I will keep you as long as I can. Until then, just consider it," Jaehyun said, his tone softening at the end. Ten visibly shrank. As much as he hated to admit it, Jaehyun was right. He needed this, there was no way they would have stable housing otherwise. 

"Jae is right, we don't ask for anything other than companionship, we would never dream of taking advantage of you or your situation," Johnny said from behind them, causing Ten to jump.

"What are you doing here?" He said, surprise evident in his tone.

"We heard yelling, we followed to make sure you were alright," Taeyong replied for Johnny, his gaze flickering between Ten and Sicheng. 

"We're fine, thank you," Ten snapped, whirling back around to Jaehyun. 

"We'll do it," Sicheng's small voice said from behind him, causing him to snap back around. "We don't have any other options, Tennie. They seem really nice and I don't want to have to go home, please?"

And with one look at Sicheng's large, pleading eyes, Ten found himself loading his bags into Taeyong's car and saying goodbye to Jaehyun.

( ~ * ~ )

The car ride was silent, save for the quiet sound of a quiet soft R&B song drifting from the radio. Dean, Sicheng guessed it was. Everywhere he looked felt somehow _wrong_. When his gaze rested on Ten, he felt as if he had somehow wronged his friend. He knew he'd been opposed to it, but what else was he supposed to do? He was too shy to even dream of thinking of looking at Johnny or Taeyong, even eye contact made him nervous. So instead, he admired the sleek interior of the car, marveling at the smooth leather and the smell of cleaner wafting through the vehicle. His fingers danced along the stitching of the leather, taking in the feeling of the grooves of the stitches and folds under his fingers. He looked up for a moment, his eyes meeting Taeyong's in the mirror. He quickly flicked his gaze away, a faint blush painting his cheeks. He looked up from the stitching again, sighing in relief when he saw Taeyong's eyes trained back on the road. Johnny was tapping away on some game on his phone, totally engrossed in the small device letting off a soft glow in the somewhat dark car. Ten was staring out the window, and on instinct, Sicheng scooted closer to him, resting his head on his friend's shoulder. It felt good, finally being able to just rest, to share skinship with his friend like he always did. The rocking of the car and exhaustion from the day caught up with him, and he found himself slowly drifting off.

( ~ * ~ )

Sicheng awoke to the feeling of arms under his knees and armpits, a warm body holding him close as it walked. In his stupor, he nestled closer to the warmth, burying his face in the person's chest. They smelled like laundry detergent and Febreeze, a small whiff of coffee and cologne under it all. They didn't smell like Ten, but different. Not bad different, but good different. In that moment, Sicheng froze. _This was not Ten._ This was not his friend, this was most definitely _not_ Ten. He slowly pulled his face out of the person's chest, discreetly looking at his surroundings. They were walking down a hallway, Johnny out in front of them leading everyone while carrying some of their bags, with Ten nowhere in sight, but he could hear the Thai boy's muttering behind them. This meant that the man he was holding onto was _Taeyong_. He could feel his cheeks heating up, and he tried to hide his face in his chest. 

"Good morning, Sleepyhead," He mumbled, and Sicheng felt his cheeks come even more alight. At that moment, Johnny stopped at a door, pulling it open to reveal what Sicheng only guessed could be their home. Taeyong lowered the arm holding up Sicheng's legs, and Sicheng slipped out of his grip easily, slightly missing the warmth. He practically bounded back to Ten, lacing his fingers with his free hand's as they walked.

When they entered the apartment, Sicheng gasped. There was a large living room with huge windows instead of a wall, providing a view of Seoul's city lights in the dying light of the sunset. There was a large sofa bathed in the burnt orange glow, and when Johnny strode over to it and sat down, his hair reflecting the light almost like a halo, Sicheng was almost certain he was living within a dream. 

"Hey, go show them their rooms while I make dinner lazy ass," Taeyong said, no bite behind the words. Johnny sighed and pried himself off the couch, shedding his blazer and toeing off his shoes. 

"Follow me, I'll show you where you'll both be staying," He said, and Sicheng and Ten trailed behind him with their bags like puppies. "Here," he said, gesturing to two sleek metal doors next to each other. Sicheng gripped Ten's hand tighter, finding his voice. 

"Can we share a room?" He asked, not sure if it was directed more towards Johnny or Ten for permission. 

"Of course," The two answered in unison, slightly startling Sicheng. He smiled at this, squeezing Ten's hand again as they dropped their bags at the door of their room, following Johnny again as he began walking. They entered another hallway, and he stopped in front of another pair of doors.

"These are mine and Tae's rooms, knock if you ever need anything. Your rooms have bathrooms, so don't worry about those. You won't have to worry about much here, Taeyong makes all our meals and we have groceries delivered, you'll have all you need here." Sicheng was taken aback by the man's kindness, not quite knowing what to say. It seemed almost wrong, two men taking in two complete strangers at the word of a friend and sharing their home with them. He hadn't experienced kindness like this in his life aside from Ten, and he wasn't sure he could ever get used to it.

"Thank you," was all he managed, but he felt the tears pricking at his eyes spoke volumes.

( ~ * ~ )

Dinner, like the car ride, was quiet. They all ate in silence, Sicheng keeping his eyes trained on his food. The silence, while not a tense one, was more painfully awkward than anything. He could tell the occupants of the table wanted to talk, they just didn't know what to say. 

"So, what are you two studying?" Taeyong asked, breaking the seemingly never-ending silence. 

"We're both dance majors," Ten answered, smiling politely. 

"Ah, nice. Old Johnny here used to be a DJ," Taeyong said, chuckling when Johnny slapped him upside the head. 

"That was college Tae, let it go," He said, rolling his eyes. Sicheng found himself giggling at the exchange, covering his mouth with his palm.

Taeyong laughed, eyes sparkling before his face set back into its default seriousness. He seemed to hesitate before speaking again, opening his mouth and then closing it again like a fish. "All that aside, let's talk allowances," Taeyong said turning serious, ignoring Ten's splutter.

"Allowances? What? no!" Ten said, and Taeyong simply continued.

"We'll give you both 10,000,000* won every month to help with your student loans and to buy anything you please with, we already have debit cards set up for both of you here, they're sitting on your bedside table," He finished, going back to eating as if it was the most casual thing one could say. 

"That's too much! You're already housing us and doing all this, there's really no need for that," Ten protested, but was quickly silenced by Johnny.

"We want to do this, we remember how hard college was. We want you two to be as comfortable as possible, especially because this is a whole new country for you. We both have more money than we know what to do with, this is fine. We'll take you two out shopping to liven up your room and get you some more clothes tomorrow after your classes, is that alright?"

"What? Of course not, we can't just accept this-" Ten said, but was cut off by Taeyong.

"We want to, don't worry. You two have been through enough these past few days, please just accept this," He said, and Sicheng looked up from his bowl to shoot Taeyong a dazzling smile.

"Thank you so much, Taeyong-ge,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *approximately 8755 in usd


	3. mad city

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i finally managed to get this up lol i had suuuch bad writers block. but anyways, as a reward for y'all being patient w me i'll probs update tomorrow and start building up the ships a bit

        True to his word, Taeyong had left two debit cards on their nightstand, each with their names emblazoned on the sleek plastic. They had put the cards under their names, and the card with a sticky note saying "Sicheng" on it read "Lee Taeyong", while Ten's read "Seo Youngho". He carefully placed the card back on the stand, walking over to where Sicheng was unpacking their bags.  

        He watched as Sicheng carefully took out a pair of neatly folded baby blue pajamas from his bag, and then pulled out Ten's own white ones from his bag. He moved slowly, but with a purpose. It was something the other was prone to when he was deep in thought. Ten watched as the other boy walked over to the bed, plopping down on it and sighing, looking ready to fall asleep right then and there.

        "Sichenggie, you can't go to sleep now, you still have to shower and change, we have class tomorrow," Ten reminded the younger, chuckling as the Chinese boy whined and rolled over.

        "Can't we just not go? I'm so tired, we can skip one day," He replied, a pout dancing on his lips as he looked at Ten with what the elder would dare say the cutest puppy eyes on the planet. He had resolved one night that those eyes could make a lesser man crumble to the Chinese man's will.

        Luckily, Chittaphon Leechiayapornkul was not a lesser man. 

        "No, we can't skip. We're here for a reason, remember?" He retorted, biting back a laugh at the cute expression of frustration that graced his friend's features. "C'mon, go take a shower," He said, throwing the other boy's pajamas at him.

        He pretended he didn't see Sicheng stick his tongue out at him when he thought he wasn't looking.

( ~ * ~ )

        The next morning, Sicheng awoke to his face buried in Ten's chest, the taller boy's breathing soft and steady and his warmth enveloping him in the soft covers. it would have been a nice serene scene, if not for Sicheng's alarm blaring in the background, causing him to groan and flip over, switching it off. He sat up and looked over at Ten, still blissfully asleep and undisturbed. If given the choice, the Chinese boy would burrow back down into the covers and fall back asleep with his friend, but alas, they had early morning classes today. Sicheng was at a loss for how to wake the other man up, but finally settled on crouching next to his face, noses nearly inches apart in a cat-like position.

        "Tenniiieeeee~" he whined, poking the boy's nose with a slender finger. "Tennniiiiieeeeee~" he called again, adding a louder whine when the other man didn't wake for the second time. "Tennniiieeeee-ge," he tried again, adding another poke on the nose. He smiled and almost jumped in victory when the other man groaned and his eyes fluttered open.

        "G'morning Winwinnie," He said, reaching out a hand to rub the sleep from his eyes and then promptly ruffle his best friend's hair. Sicheng watched as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, yawning and stretching his lean limbs. Both boys dressed, Sicheng in a black long sweater that fell to the tops of his knees and white leggings and Ten in a red shirt and black leather pants the man had somehow (possibly by a deal with the devil) managed to slide on like they were nothing. They padded down to the kitchen, remembering that yeah, _eating was a thing._ Sicheng was surprised to already find Taeyong and Johnny in the kitchen, sitting across from each other at the table with full plates of eggs in front of them both and more resting in a pan on the stove. 

        "You're up," Johnny said, more of a statement than an exclamation. "We thought you'd have woken up later," he said, shrugging.

        "We have early morning classes today," Ten replied, shifting his weight next to Sicheng, who nodded. 

        "We were just finishing up, you're both welcome to help yourselves," Taeyong piped up, gesturing to the pan of eggs on the stove, two plates, and sets of utensils on the counter next to it.

        "Ahh, thank you!" Sicheng exclaimed, darting over to the stove with his mouth watering at the prospect of food. The men behind him all chuckled, marveling at how cute the Chinese boy was. Ten followed him, but at a more leisurely pace. When they were both seated, Sicheng next to Taeyong and Ten next to Johnny, a somewhat awkward silence filling the air surrounding them as they ate.

        "Ah!" Johnny exclaimed suddenly, causing Sicheng to almost choke on his eggs (which admittedly were pretty good). "You two are dance majors, right?" He asked, looking to the two boys who just nodded in response. "We should have Nakamoto introduce himself to them!" He said, snapping his gaze to Taeyong, who simply nodded.  
          
        "Who?" Ten asked, his eyebrows shooting up into his hairline.

        "You know Yuta Nakamoto, right?" Johnny asked.

        "Yeah, he plays forward for the Japanese soccer team, right?" Ten said, casting a _'What the fuck?'_ glance at Sicheng. 

        "He's in the same exchange student program as you two, he decided to major in dance to help with agility or something like that," Taeyong elaborated when he saw the two foreigner's confused faces. 

        "I'll have him find you two at some point, he'd love you both," Johnny said, whipping out his phone to presumably text said man, and Sicheng was having a hard time comprehending just how much his life was changing in the span of just a day.

        "Yah, Yukkeuri, I have some people to meet."

( ~ * ~ )

        At their lunch break after their respective classes, Ten and Sicheng found themselves suddenly joined by an enthusiastic man who ran up to them flustered and out of breath.

        "Um, hey?" Sicheng said, more a question than a greeting.

        "Hey, I'm Yuta Nakamoto, Tae and Johnny's friend, I assume he's told you two about me?" He said, straightening himself out. 

        "Yeah, they did this morning. How did you know it was us?" Ten asked, cocking his head in confusion. 

        "They told me to look for a Thai kid and a Chinese kid that looked like a puppy, I knew it was you two on sight."


	4. paradise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the sugar baby-ing starts here merry fuckin shitscram

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woohoo me updating twice in 24 hours! anyways thank you so much for reading this utter dumpster fire, i love you all. (⸝⸝⸝ᵒ̴̶̷̥́ ⌑ ᵒ̴̶̷̣̥̀⸝⸝⸝) remember to get lots of rest and take care of yourselves!

When they returned back to the apartment, Ten realized something somewhat terrifying. Although Taeyong and Johnny's driver had picked them up and got them back to the building, Ten had promptly realized they had no key card to enter. He asked the driver, Taemin, if he had a key, but he only shook his head.

"Although you can be buzzed into the building itself, it wouldn't do you any good. You need a keycard to use the elevator and one to open the door to the penthouse itself. I can call Mr. Lee to come let you in," He said, pulling out his phone. 

"No, no, it's fine we'll just-" Ten began to protest, but the driver held up a finger as he began talking into the phone. 

"Hello, Mr. Lee? We seem to have a small predicament on our hands."

( ~ * ~ )

Half an hour later, Sicheng saw Taeyong exit his car from the window of the building lobby, which a kind older lady had buzzed them into. He was dressed in his suit, his hair slightly disheveled and his suit-jacket fully unbuttoned. He looked flustered, and Sicheng couldn't blame him, he had been made to leave work for them. He was embarrassed beyond belief, his ears tinging red with guilt at just the sight of the older man. Rationally, he knew it wasn't his fault, but he still felt bad nonetheless. 

Taeyong waved his card in front of the door sensor, the click audible in the otherwise silent lobby. Sicheng had to admit, even in his disheveled state he was still handsome. His ebony hair that was slicked back that morning fell neatly into his face, some of the strands framing his eyes that made them look that much more intense. Like what Sicheng presumed was usual, he was wearing his colored contacts that turned his eyes to a piercing shade of blue. He unconsciously shivered when they landed on them, his kind gaze still striking to the Chinese boy. 

"I'm so sorry we forgot to give you the cards, it slipped our minds in the rush," The black haired man said, pulling out two cards from his coat pocket and handing one to both boys. Sicheng turned it over in his hand, it felt cold like metal between his fingers but thin and light like plastic, and he couldn't help but marvel at how expensive even the key card he was holding must be. 

"It's no problem don't worry," Ten replied, laughing.

"The apartment number is written on the cards, but I'll show you up again in case you forgot," He said, waiting for both boys to stand up before stepping into the elevator, pressing the button for the 37th* floor. The ride up was silent, Ten and Sicheng adjusting their dance bags on their shoulders as the elevator let off a small _ding!_ at every passing floor. When the door opened, Taeyong lead them to the apartment, scanning the key to enter and opening the door, leading the two in. 

Ten took both the boys' bags up to their room, while Taeyong waltzed into the kitchen. Sicheng stood in the entryway for a moment, unsure of where to go, but the gnawing in his stomach was all the convincing he needed to follow Taeyong. He walked in to see the man picking out a few cans of coffee from the refrigerator and a box of crackers from one of the cabinets. He locked eyes with him for a moment and felt his cheeks warm when Taeyong offered a small smile. 

"Want some?" He asked, opening a sleeve of crackers and holding some out to the Chinese boy. He nodded, smiling and took one hesitantly, gently munching on it as silence filled the kitchen. 

"Thank you," Sicheng blurted, bringing his eyes up to meet Taeyong's. "For coming and getting us, I mean, and letting us up. I know it must have been bad for you to leave work and all that," He elaborated, biting his lip out of nerves. 

"Hey, Winwin, it's fine," Taeyong said, resting a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder. "It was our fault for forgetting, there was nothing for you two to have done. I'm glad Taemin called me, I'd rather you both be in here and comfortable and safe than stuck in a car for hours until we came home," He said, ad Sicheng smiled shyly. 

"Still, thank you, you've done so much for us," He replied, looking down at his feet. 

"It was no problem," Taeyong said, retracting his hand in favor of grabbing his coffees and snacks. "I have to get back to the office now, text me if you need anything okay? My number is on the refrigerator if you need it," he paused, looking at Sicheng with a slightly concerned face. "You do have a phone right?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I?" He asked, looking back with confusion.

"Just making sure, stay safe okay?" He said, breezing out of the room, Sicheng calling a quiet "I will," behind him pink decorating his ears and cheeks as Ten entered the room.

( ~ * ~ )

"If he even laid a finger on you Sicheng I swear to god-"

"He didn't! I'm not a kid Tennie."

"Yeah yeah sure, whatever."

"Don't 'whatever' me!"

"You're not my mom, Sichenggie."

"I could be!"

"I'd rather you not."

"Fine."

"But in reality, if he so much as looked at you wrong, I'll rip out those contacts and stuff them down his throat."

"Tennie!"

"What?!"

( ~ * ~ )

True to their word, after they had both came home and eaten, Taeyong and Johnny took the two out to shop for new clothes. Ten and Sicheng found themselves in a mall, debit cards in hand and bombarded with astronomically high price tags. Currently, the group was in a clothing store, Sicheng fussing over a soft yellow sweater and Ten admiring a jewelry display with a thin black leather choker adorned with a golden moon charm dangling from the front.

"See anything you like?" Johnny's voice came from behind him. Ten hummed in response, still admiring the charm. He felt Johnny move up beside him, gazing at the piece as well. "It's nice," He commented, stepping closer. "It would look nice on you," Ten felt his eyebrows shoot up into his hairline, his gaze snapping to Johnny, who just continued examining the piece of leather. "I don't mean that in a creepy way, just being frank. Honesty is a show of the soul, you know," he continued, seeming to read Ten's mind. "Pick it up, it'll go well with the shirt you picked up a few stores back," He said, stalking back over to where Ten was sure Sicheng was putting Taeyong under the spell of his famous puppy eyes. Against all odds, he found himself picking up the choker, placing it with the other items he was carrying. When he walked back to his friend, he found that yes, Sicheng had brought out the puppy eyes, and judging by how Taeyong was practically melting under the Chinese boy's eyes, it was working.

"Taeyong-ge, can we go get ice cream after this?"

"Of course we can."

Ten almost laughed out loud, Sicheng had Taeyong wrapped around his finger and it had barely been any time at all. He would have laughed if it had not been that he himself was wrapped around the younger's finger just as tightly.

( ~ * ~ )

Hours later, with all their purchases laid out in front of them on the bed, everything from clothes to makeup and stupid accessories, Sicheng found himself giggling in his friend's arms as they sat down on the chair in their room together and admired their haul. They had barely spent half of their allowances for that month because Taeyong and Johnny had insisted on personally paying for many of the items, their excuses ranging from _"I don't want you to waste your allowance"_ to _"Because I said so."_. Admittedly, Sicheng knew it was because the men wanted to spoil them, but he didn't mind. As much as light guilt was gnawing at his stomach for feeling like a leech, he loved being spoiled. He loved being doted on, pampered, and complimented to the ends of the Earth. He giggled again as He felt a chuckle erupt from Ten, a feeling of euphoria washing over him.

"We hit it big Sichenggie, we hit it big."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *37 is the longitude of seoul + the 127 in nct 127 is the latitude!


	5. supermoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a filler ig. I'll be developing the ships more from here on out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whats up guys welcome to a caffeine and self-hatred fueled unbeta-d extravaganza have fun.
> 
> also shoutout to the nct groupchat for giving me motivation and inspiration i love y'all

After two weeks, the four men fell into a comfortable, yet tentative, routine. Sicheng and Ten would wake up, go down to eat breakfast, then get driven to their classes by Taemin. On their days off they had taken to loafing around the penthouse, bingeing movies on the large flat screen in the living room or studying rigorously. Every day, without fail, they ate dinner with Taeyong and Johnny. Some days, one of the men wouldn't be present, working overtime or stuck in the nightmarish Seoul rush hour traffic. One of them was always with them, however, always there to ask about their respective days and make sure they ate. While Taeyong typically cooked (the man belonged in a goddamn 5-star restaurant, Ten thought) Johnny normally ordered in, not that either of the boys was complaining. 

        Today, however, was different. Sicheng's stomach rumbled, and he squirmed to look at the door to see if the elder men had arrived yet. Of course, they hadn't, and Sicheng sagged, disappointed, back into the couch. He buried his face in Ten's shoulder, whining dramatically. "Tennie, I'm hungry," He complained, giving the older his best puppy eyes.

        "Sicheng, just be patient okay? One of them will be back soon enough," Ten reassured, rolling his eyes at his friend's melodramatic actions. 

        "Okay, but I hope it's soon."

( ~ * ~ )

        Lo and behold, an hour later, neither Johnny nor Taeyong had come back to the penthouse. Ten shifted nervously as the growls from Sicheng's stomach became more and more persistent as time wore on and there was no word from the two. 

        "Can we call them and ask them if we can start eating or order in?" Sicheng asked, and Ten felt himself bristle unintentionally. 

        "Sicheng, we don't need their permission to eat, we're just being polite," He said, careful to take the edge out of his tone. "I can call them if you want to see where they are?" He continued, relaxing when he saw a small smile grace the Chinese boy's features. 

        "Could you?"

        That's how Ten found himself pacing back and forth in his shared room with Sicheng, his phone clutched in his hand and Johnny's contact seemingly mocking him. He stared at it, not quite understanding why he was so _nervous_ doing something as simple as calling the man he was _living with_. Before he could overthink more, he pressed the call button and raised the phone to his ear shifting his weight from foot to foot nervously as the line rang. On the fourth ring, Ten heard the telltale click of the phone being answered, a tired-sounding "Hello?" Following shortly after.   
          
         "Hi, it's uh- it's me," Ten said, straining to hear Johnny on the other side of the line. 

        "Oh, hey Ten," Johnny said, audibly perking up on the other side. At this, Ten willed the small flutter of butterflies in his stomach down, writing them off hunger pangs.

        "Sicheng and I were wondering when you of Taeyong will be home and we can start dinner," Ten said, flopping down onto the bed. 

        "You mean Taeyong isn't with you guys? Sorry, I should have known. We have a huge proposal going through today and I guess we both got hit with overtime, I'm so sorry. Do you want to order something? Just put it on my card if you do. I could have Taemin drive you guys out to a restaurant if you want to?" The businessman fussed, and Ten found himself giggling despite himself.

        "No no, it's okay, He replied, smiling at the other man's worry. "Don't worry, we'll just both order in."

        "Are you sure?" He heard Johnny ask on the other end, and he had to stop himself from giggling and rolling his eyes.

        "Yes, I'm sure. We're fine," He said, smiling. "I'll go tell Winwinnie," 

        "Okay, goodbye Ten."

        "Bye!"

        "Oh, and by the way, thank you for waiting up for us. It means a lot."

        _Click_

( ~ * ~ )

        Another week later, Ten found himself sitting with Yuta and the rest of his friends at lunch. Yuta had become a fixture in all their lives, worming his way into the group with ease. Ten surveyed his table of friends, smiling at how they all interacted. There was his fellow dance majors, Jungwoo, Hakyeon, Hansol, and Yuta, who he shared some classes with. Then there were the other students, their majors varying from music theory to art and photography. Jungwoo's photography major boyfriend, Taeil, was currently trying (and failing) to make the quiet boy Hakyeon has been unsuccessfully trying to hit on since day one, laugh. Taekwoon, Ten thought his name was. Yuta was sitting with Hansol, Jaehyun, and Dongyoung, singers and music theory majors, engaging in a heated debate about the difference between filtered and unfiltered water. _'How can you not put your water through a Brita before you drink it?' 'Because I don't need to! What kind of health freak filters it?!'_.

        He gazed down to Sicheng, whose head was resting against his thigh as he napped before they went to the dance studio for their next class. He always napped before attending dance classes so he'd have more energy, and everyone found it adorable. He normally curled up next to Ten, or Jaehyun on the days he and the Thai had different schedules. Ten checked his phone, seeing that it was almost time for class, he gently shook Sicheng awake, shaking his thigh to signal for him to get up. "Sichenggie, wake up," He said, pulling the smaller boy up. Sicheng just groaned, quietly following him to the practice room after they bid goodbye to their friends. He felt Sicheng lace their fingers together as they walked, and he couldn't help but smile. 

        When they arrived at the studio, the two quickly changed into their dance clothes and walked out onto the floor to begin their stretches. He and Sicheng talked throughout their stretches, giggling together until their instructor Mrs. Jung, or Yerin as they insisted they call her, came into the room. They all got up and into lines, and Ten found energy thrumming through his bones. When he danced, he felt truly free. He felt the adrenaline rush through his veins in time with the music as he moved his body to the beat. He, in those moments, felt free.

 

          
        Two hours later, class ended and the students began filtering out, Yerin following them. Ten and Sicheng typically stayed behind after class to continue to practice alone, going for maybe an hour or more. The two loved the feeling of dancing with just them alone in the room, no instructors or anyone else. They moved in perfect sync to the music, Sicheng flipping through the air occasionally in fluid movements. Eventually, as the last song stopped, they lay on the cool floor, limbs feeling pleasantly spent. 

        "You two weren't kidding when you said you were good," Ten heard from the doorway, and he snapped around to see Johnny and Taeyong in the doorway in all their suit and tie clad glory.

        "How long have you been standing there?" He asked, sitting up.

        "Long enough," Johnny replied, a small smile coming across his features. "Taemin was busy today so we came to pick you two up today," He said, elaborating on their presence.

        "Thank you," Ten said, standing up. "We'll be out in a minute, just let us change," He said, leading Sicheng into the locker rooms. They changed quickly, showering even faster. When they walked out of the room, they were led to the car by Taeyong and Johnny, who both took the front seats. 

        "We figured go straight home and order in today, sound good?" Johnny asked from the driver's seat, and Ten found himself saying a quiet 'yes,' before he had even registered it.

( ~ * ~ )

        Upon returning to the penthouse, Ten was pleasantly surprised to find food already waiting at the doorstep for them, presumably ordered by Taeyong on the drive over. It as warm and smelled great, and Ten could feel his mouth watering. They sat at their usual places at the table again, Taeyong next to Sicheng and Johnny next to Ten. They had comfortable conversation, as usual, sometimes silence falling as everyone tucked into their food. 

        "What did you to do back in your home countries?" Johnny suddenly asked, and Ten tensed slightly. He knew Sicheng was sensitive about the subject of life back in China, but he decided there was no way around it. They would be living with these men for a year, and Sicheng would tell them if he felt comfortable. 

        "Same thing I do now," Ten said, shrugging. "I was a student and a dancer, I spent most of my time with my sister and my mom, not much has changed other than where I live," He finished, giving Johnny a small smile and pretending the one he was given in return didn't make his stomach do flips. _Hunger pangs, just hunger pangs, Ten._

        A long silence proceeded hen Sicheng spoke up, staring at his plate. "I was an entertainer. I danced at banquets and things like that," He said, still staring down at his plate. Sicheng and his sister had always been entertainers, used as show ponies by their parents. Ten's heart broke when Sicheng would mention it because he knew his friend was so much more. 

        He just hoped Sicheng knew it too.


	6. bassbot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mistakes are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> have y'all listened to monsta x's comeback yet because lemme tell y'all that is heckin AMAZING

        Another week passed, and Ten and Sicheng were seeing less and less of Johnny and Taeyong. The two were working obscene amounts of overtime, and despite himself, Ten found himself missing the two men's' presence. He'd get updates through text from Johnny and occasionally Taeyong about how the two were doing, if they'd be home for dinner, etc.. He'd always be sure to reply, and dared say he almost wished Johnny would text him more. He and Sicheng always returned straight home after classes, and Ten found himself more and more lonely. Sure, Sicheng was good company, but he could tell coming home to an empty house for hours was taking a toll on the Chinese boy as well. Admittedly, it may have been noticeable by their friends as well.

        "We're going clubbing tonight!" Yuta announced as he walked up to their table in the university cafeteria, practically slamming his tray down for dramatic effect. Doyoung groaned, throwing his head back in exasperation. 

        "This again?" He asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

        "Yes, Kim Dongyoung, this again," He replied, sliding into his seat next to Hansol. "You all have been such downers lately, not to mention Ten and little Winwin haven't even seen the nightlife yet," He replied, raising his eyebrows towards the younger as he took a sip of water.

        "Yuta, not everyone needs to go clubbing here," Doyoung replied, rolling his eyes at the use of his full name. 

        "C'mon! Not everyone has to come, but I'm bringing Ten and Winwin no matter what," He shot back, a whining tone tinging his voice. The soccer player spared Ten a glance, smirking. "You two can even bring your sugar daddies if you want," He cackled as the rest of the table rolled their eyes. 

        "Oh my _god_ Yukkeuri they _aren't our sugar daddies_ ," Ten groaned, burying his face in his hands. 

        "Allowances? Debit cards? Free housing? Sounds like sugar daddies to me," Yuta chuckled, smirking. "I've known Tae and Johnny for five years and they've barely bought me so much as a corn chip, you're lucky," He continued, swirling his water in his glass.

        "That's because you're a high earning athlete and we're broke college students," Ten shot back, rubbing his forehead.

        "Still sounds like sugaring to me," He teased, giving Ten a shit-eating grin.

        "If we say yes, will you agree to never bring this up again?" Ten asked, rolling his eyes.

        "I make no promises, Ben Ten," he said, keeping the grin plastered on his face.

        "Fine, we're in," He sighed, stuffing a piece of pizza into his mouth.

        "What's a sugar daddy?" He heard Sicheng ask, almost choking on his pizza when he heard the words.  
          
        "He's so innocent, how cute!" Yuta cooed, pinching Sicheng's cheeks. "Don't corrupt him, Ten."

        "Oh fuck off."

        "Language!"

( ~ * ~ )

        Four hours later, Ten found himself sitting on the floor of the dance studio, forming a circle with Yuta Hansol, Jungwoo, Hakyeon, and Sicheng after practice had ended. "You should text Johnny," Sicheng piped up from next to him. "Let him know we don't need Taemin to pick us up because we're going to Yuta and Hansol's. 

        "Good idea," Ten replied, fluffing his friend's hair with his free hand as he whipped out his phone with the other.

         _[Ten] don't need taemin today, heading to yuta's and going out, be back late._  

        Not a minute later, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

      **[Johnny] Cool, mind if I ask why?**   

        _[Ten] yuta's forcing us out clubbing_

**[Johnny] Sounds fun, wish I could go with you two, to be honest, the office is so boring.**

**[Johnny] Sorry if that sounded creepy, I didn't mean it that way.**

        Once again, Ten found himself giggling despite himself. He found it endearing that the elder wasn't trying to hit on him or use him and got flustered at the premise of doing so. 

      _[Ten] it's fine lol i get what ur saying. speaking of ur office shouldnt you be working? i feel like im distracting you._

        **[Johnny] I'm taking a break right now. Besides, talking to you is more fun than working on some proposal.**

      Ten felt color creep into his ears and cheeks, smiling slightly. He attempted to push it down before anyone saw but to no avail. He looked up only to be greeted with a smirking Hansol, which only made him flame redder. 

        _[Ten] gtg, hansol is staring into my soul like some demon. thnx for handling taemin._

**[Johnny] Okay, stay safe and have fun, Ten.**

      Ten quickly tucked his phone into his pockets, locking it before Yuta or Hansol had a chance to snatch it out of his hands. 

       "So, who's coming to the club tonight?" Yuta asked, surveying the small circle. "I already know Ten and Winwin are coming, but who else?" 

        Jungwoo ended up speaking first, his voice echoing faintly in the room. "I'll g, and I'll rope Taeil into it somehow," Ten admired their relationship and it's dynamic, Jungwoo's energy mixing with Taeil''s aura of calm. The two seemed deep in love, and sometimes Ten had to calm jealousy that brewed in the pit of his stomach at the couple's happiness. Hyunwoo's loyalty to his boyfriend was unwavering, ad Ten found it endearing.  

      "I'm in too," Hansol piped up, smiling. "I haven't gotten action in forever," 

        "Ew, Hansol, TMI, there are children present," Yuta said, gesturing to Sicheng. "Besides, I'm your roommate, I would know," He shot, cackling as he dodged the playful slap Hansol threw in his direction.  

        "I'll go too," Hakyeon said, smiling. 

      "Great!" Yuta exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "Now, time to make you all presentable,"  

( ~ * ~ ) 

        Ten found himself in Yuta and Hansol's shared room, sitting on his bed with Sicheng next to him as the Japanese man flitted around his closet. "Perfect! He suddenly exclaimed, pulling out a pair of white jeans, rips decorating them all the way up to the top of the thighs and a black fitted crop top.  

        "Why the hell do you own a crop top?" Ten asked, quirking an eyebrow up at the other. 

  "None of your business, Ten," He said throwing the clothes at the Thai. "Put these on, I still have to find something for Winwin," He said, pushing Ten towards the bathroom. 

        After he had pulled on the clothing, he walked back out, earning a whistle from Yuta. "Damn Ten, you clean up nice," He said, wiggling his eyebrows for emphasis. 

        "I know," Ten simply responded, shooting Yuta a smile. He had to admit, he did look good. The crop top only revealed the very bottom section of his abs, toned from years of dance. The pants hugged him well (Thank god he and Yuta were the same size.) and the choker he had got while out with Johnny adorned his neck, the gold charm warmed by his skin.  

        He looked at Sicheng, who had changed from his green t-shirt and jeans into a long form fitting red shirt over a pair of black leggings. He was pleased with his friend's transformation, smiling at the obviously shy younger. 

        "Alright, let's go!" Yuta chirped, grabbing Ten's hand as he walked out of the apartment. 

        This was going to be a long night. 

**( ~* ~ )**

        The club smelled like smoke and alcohol, as to be expected. The music pounded in Ten's ears, the flashing lights almost blinding him as he first walked in. He felt the thrum of the beat in his veins, and he felt his heart rate increase, excitement flooding him. They found their friends almost immediately, Hyunwoo sitting in a booth with a tipsy Hakyeon at his side. 

      "Where's Jungwoo?" Hansol asked, only to be answered with a jerk of Taeil's head in the direction of the dance floor. 

        "C'mon, the first round of shots is on me," Yuta said, pulling out his wallet. "We need to have fun tonight!" 

        After the alcohol arrived, Ten took one of the glasses, looking at Sicheng, who seemed hesitant. He leaned over to his friend, talking in his ear to be heard over the din of the music. "You don't have to if you don't want to,  can take it if you don't want it," He said, resting a hand on his shoulder. Sicheng shook his head, an oddly determined look in his eyes.  

        "Let's do it!" Hansol yelled over the music. "On three! One, two three!" He shouted, knocking back the shot. Ten quickly swallowed his own, slightly grimacing at the burn of the liquid down his throat. He looked over at Sicheng, who's face was scrunched up in disdain at the taste, causing Ten to chuckle.  

      Eventually, somewhere between the third and fourth round of shots, Ten found himself seated in the booth with Hakyeon and Taeil as their friends danced, slightly drunk but not quite yet hammered. 

        "He's just so pretty," Hakyeon slurred, gesticulating wildly. "And he's so quiet but even when he's quiet it's pretty, even his name is pretty, Taekwoon. Taekwoon Taekwoon Taekwoon," He said, slurring his words. Hyunwoo, like Ten, seemed to be ignoring the man's drunken rambling, turning to face Ten. 

      "So, you and Johnny?" He asked, smirking slightly when Ten's jaw dropped.  

        "Nah, no. It's nothing like that," He said, waving the elder off. 

      "Are you sure? I mean I saw you texting him earlier, you look pretty whipped," He commented, chuckling.  

        "Nothing like that, it's nothing like that," He replied, staggering up. "'m gonna go order something else, see you guys later. 

**( ~ * ~ )**

        Later, in the wee hours of the morning, Ten found himself staggering up into the penthouse, supporting a simply smashed Sicheng. When he opened the door, he as surprised to see Taeyong and Johnny sitting in the living room, both gazing at them intently.  

        "What- what are you to doing up?" Ten asked, hiccuping lightly.  

        "We wanted to make sure you both got home safe," Taeyong said, getting up to help Ten carry Sicheng who as barely conscious against his shoulder. He picked him up, saying something along the lines of "I'll take him to his room," But Ten was too drunk to care. 

        "You're okay? Johnny asked, and Ten raised his head to meet his gaze. 

        "Yeah, I'm fine, why?" He asked, drunken confusion clouding his mind. 

        "I just wanted to make sure, I don't like you two being alone out there at night, it's unsafe. I'd feel better if one of us was with you, especially since you're both piss drunk," he replied. Ten felt a seed of irritation in his brain, the seed quickly turning to anger. _How dare this rich boy try to control me? I'm not some stupid plaything and neither is Sicheng, we don't belong to him._ Ten found himself thinking, his anger growing.  

      "Well go thing you don't own us," Ten snapped, his emotions unchecked with the alcohol in his system. Sober Ten knew he was blowing this far out of proportion, that Johnny would never do that, but sober Ten was on a vacation, and drunk Ten was _pissed_. "We can do as we please, you don't own us," He spat, walking closer to the taller man. 

        "That's not- that's not what I meant," Johnny insisted, but Ten was too drunk to listen. 

        "Whatever Johnny," he said, walking so he was chest to chest with the man, his face inches from the other's. "You may give us money, but you don't fucking own us and never will," He said, sneering. "Sicheng will never be yours either, he doesn't deserve this shit. He's already had his share of rich ungrateful fucks using money to act like they control him," He hissed, whirling back around. He felt a hand grip his wrist, and yanked it free.  

        "Ten wait-" 

        "Fucking touch me again and I'll punch you in your face," He snapped, storming off. 

      He would regret this in the morning. 

        He didn't care. 


	7. firetruck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mistakes are fixed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love comments and feedback! thank you all so much for your support oh my goodness!! i try to reply to every comment i can, so feel free to leave feedback!! thank you all!

Taeyong hauled Sicheng up the stairs, eventually picking up the Chinese boy in a princess carry when he realized he was far too drunk to handle stairs. The boy was somewhat limp in his arms, sometimes attempting to roll over and out of the business man's arms. Eventually, when Taeyong finally reached Sicheng's room, gently placing the boy in his bed. 

"Are you okay Winwin? Do you need anything?" He asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

"Not my name," The younger whined, making Taeyong chuckle.

"Of course that's your name," He said, rolling his eyes internally.

"No, it's not 'm name. Name's Sicheng, Winwin's a nickname," he slurred, rolling over from his back to face Taeyong with sleepy eyes.

"Well okay then Sicheng, is there anything you need?" He said, trying out the boy's name. It rolled off his tongue in a pleasant way, and it fit the boy laying in front of him. Even in his drunken stupor, he was still adorable, Taeyong mused. 

"Need you to stay," He said, grabbing Taeyong's arm and causing him to freeze. "Don't wanna be lonely."

As much as it pained him to do so, he gently pried Sicheng's hand from his wrist, resisting the urge to coo when he saw the adorable pout on his face. "I can't stay, I have work in the morning, and this is Ten's room too. He'll be in soon and you won't be too lonely anymore, okay?" He said, moving to stand up.

"Not what I meant," Sicheng drunkenly slurred, throwing a hand in the air for emphasis. "You're both never home anymore- miss you a lot. Like talking to you," He said, and Taeyong felt a faint stirring of warmth in his chest at the words, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"We'll be home more soon, we just have to get this proposal done, it's really important. We miss you two too, don't worry," He reassured, feeling the warmth expand at the tiny smile that came across Sicheng's face. "But now I have to go to bed okay? It's late and you should sleep too," He said, finally rising and walking into the doorway. "Good night, Sicheng."

"G'night, Ge." 

When the door clicked behind him, he began walking back down into the kitchen when he heard yelling coming from down the stairs.

"Fucking touch me again and I'll punch you in the face!"

That was Ten, and from the sound of it, he was _pissed_. Taeyong heard the thunder of heavy footfalls up the stairs and quickly retreated into his room, waiting until he heard the angry Thai pass and slam the door to his room behind him before exiting. He had no plans to die at the hands of an angry lanky Thai boy today. After he crept down the hallway and down the stairs, he came across a very confused and rattled Johnny.

"What the hell was that about, Youngho?" He hissed, glaring at his friend. "You better not have tried to pull anything because if you did I swear to god-"

"I didn't!" The taller almost shouted, taking a deep breath to control his emotions. "I just told him I didn't like him and Winwin being out alone, especially piss drunk. I just said I'd feel better if one of us was with them and he totally took it the wrong way and flipped out, yelling at me thinking I owned him and Winwin or something!" He said, throwing his hands up in defeat. 

"Well, he's right, we don't own them. He was opposed to even coming up here in the first place, and like you said, he's piss drunk. Probably wasn't your best move saying that" He pointed out to the younger, sighing exasperatedly. Out of the two, Youngho was the most impulsive, often letting his emotions alone govern him. Taeyong had saved him from doing something stupid and impulsive many times, but he swore one day he would have to learn how to handle it himself. 

"I know, I know, He sighed, covering his face with his hand, dropping down onto one of the chairs at the dining table. "I just don't like the two of them being out in a foreign city alone, at night, drunk as all hell, and can you blame me?" He shot back, looking up at the still standing Taeyong.

"I'll admit that I don't like it," Taeyong said, picking his words carefully. "But they're grown men, they can make their own decisions and don't need us to chaperone them. Besides, we're in no place to anyways," He said, shrugging.

"What do you mean?" Johnny asked, playing with the cuff of his sleeve.

"I mean it's not like we're their boyfriends or anything, and even then they can still handle themselves. We're not exactly close friends or anything either, we're really just acquaintances, if anything were kind of like overbearing landlords," He snorted, trying not to sound bitter.

"You think so?' Johnny asked, but began talking again before Taeyong had a chance to answer. "I kinda wish we were more, I mean they're both so nice and it's genuinely nice talking to them, and the way their eyes lit up when we took them shopping? Call me crazy but I want to see that every day," He said, shaking his head.

"It's not crazy, I do too, Taeyong responded, leaning against the counter. "We just need to be careful not to overstep our boundaries, I don't want them feeling obligated to be with us just because we put a roof over their heads, that's a very slippery slope," He said, causing Johnny to hand his head.

"Yeah yeah, but I can't help it y'know?" He said, making Taeyong laugh and shake his head.

"You've always been impulsive and emotional, Youngho. Just don't let that rule you now. Let's give them space for now if he remembers your little argument in the morning talk to him about it, but if he doesn't leave him alone." He said, sliding off the counter. "Now come on, we have to sleep. We have more overtime tomorrow."

"Why are you always so smart?"

"Because I'm older, now shoo."

( ~ * ~ )

Ten had woken that morning with a pounding headache, and judging by the pained groaning in bed next to him, so had Sicheng. They had walked around the penthouse like zombies for about fifteen minutes before finding their way to the kitchen, finding a bottle of Advil on the table along with a note from Taeyong, and Ten had sworn up and down Lee Taeyong was an actual saint among men. They spent most of the day lounging in the warmth of the living room, allowing the light to bathe them with warmth as they slept their worries (and hangovers) away. After a particularly good nap, he pulled out to check the time, only to be greeted by a text from Johnny.

**43 minutes ago [Johnny] Are you awake yet?**

_[Ten] ya. why?_

Ten didn't expect a fast reply, thinking Johnny was probably working. He had missed his initial text by almost an hour anyway, so when his phone buzzed moments later, he was surprised. 

**[Johnny] Do you remember anything from last night?**

Ten froze, wracking his brain for any memory. To his dismay, he remembered nothing. The last thing he remembered was downing his fifth shot with Yuta, and then it all went fuzzy. 

_[Ten] i dont. did i do something stupid?_

**[Johnny] No, I did. can we talk about it when you I get home? I got off early today.**

Ten felt his blood turn to ice, he thought he'd at least have time to prepare or something for this ambush. He just hoped he hadn't done anything, and though Johnny said he hadn't, he still had his doubts. He hoped he hadn't jeopardized his and Sicheng's living arrangements, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he had. 

( ~ * ~)

About half an hour when Johnny walked into the door, Ten felt his blood freezing all over again. Johnny put down his briefcase, shedding his suit jacket and tie and placing them on the coat rack before approaching Ten, looking between him and the still sleeping Sicheng. Eventually, it seemed he didn't want to risk waking the sleeping boy, so he gestured to the kitchen before walking in, and Ten nervously followed. 

"So," Johnny said. "About last night-"

"I'm so sorry if I did or said anything stupid," Ten burst, interrupting the taller man.

"No, no Ten you didn't, I did. I made a comment about not wanting you two out alone and drunk without me or Tae, and it clearly hit a nerve. I-I didn't mean to overstep any boundaries by saying that. I just really am concerned for you two out in a foreign city at night alone and drunk. I know you probably barely even consider me a friend, but I was just concerned," he gushed, taking Ten aback slightly. 

“I- Thank you?” Ten replied, not quite sure what to say. “Thank you for being concerned I was just drunk and didn’t know was saying. And I do kind of consider you a friend, I like talking to you, Johnny,” He finished, looking down at his feet.

“Wow really? That’s great I’m happy you do I was uh- wondering if you want to get to know each other more? Like as friends, you do live with me after all,” Johnny said, and Ten found himself smiling. 

“Yeah, that sounds great,” Ten replied, shooting the elder a grin.

“But only if you want to, I don’t want you to feel obligated to because were housing you or anything,” He added on, and Ten chuckled again, pink staining the tips of his ears at his earnestness.

“Don’t worry, I do, not just because you put a roof over mine and Winwin’s head, but because I enjoy talking to you,” He said, smiling comfortingly at Johnny. 

“Good, uh, great. Taeyong and I were thinking about having a movie night tomorrow, do you guys want to join?” He asked, returning the smile.

“Sure, sounds great,” Ten replied, shooting a smile back to Johnny. Suddenly, he heard a yawn in the doorway, and both men’s heads snapped around. In the doorway stood Sicheng, all disheveled hair, and bleary eyes. He had a blanket wrapped around his shoulder and yawned, reaching a hand up to rub his eyes.

“What’s going on?” He asked, voice gravelly with sleep.

“Nothing, Winwinnie, don’t worry.”

“Mmkay.”

“Cute~”


	8. limitless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things happen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this wasn't meant to be so fluffy but i was listening to seventeen and whoops?

The next day was Sunday, one of Taeyong and Johnny’s coveted days off. Taeyong was happy to relax for the day, looking forward to lounging around all day with his best friend and housemates. He hadn’t bothered to change out of his pajamas, settling for staying in his sweats and tank top (for comfort’s sake, he told himself and Johnny). He walked into the kitchen early like usual, putting a pan on the stove and allowing it to heat as he prepared the pancake batter. Bright yellow sunlight seeped through the large windows of the living room, finding its way into the kitchen as he began pouring the batter into the pan. He never thought he’d get tired of this, cooking in his home with the Seoul sunrise creeping into the kitchen from the wall-sized windows of the living room. He flipped the pancakes, allowing the smell to fill his nostrils. He stayed there for a while, repeating the routine of pour, flip, plate, and repeat. Eventually, he heard shuffling behind him, and was slightly confused. He knew Youngho never woke up this early and neither did Ten or Winwin. _Sicheng,_ he reminded himself _Sicheng is his name._

“Good morning, Taeyong-ge,” He heard from the hallway, confirming his suspicions. Sicheng was awake. Taeyong turned around, shooting Sicheng a smile. He looked beautiful, his black hair sticking up like a halo around his head in the morning light. He rubbed his eyes, releasing what Taeyong was sure was the damn cutest yawn he had ever heard in his life. He likened it to a kitten’s yawn, and found himself smiling even more at the idea. 

"Good morning, Sicheng,” He greeted, and the younger looked up at him confusedly. 

“How do you know my name?” He asked, cocking his head to the side in another adorable cat-like gesture. 

“You told me a few nights ago when you were drunk and I put you to bed, do you not want me to use it?” He questioned, looking at the smaller boy. 

“No, no, it’s fine,” Sicheng insisted his face flushing pink. “I was just surprised, that’s all,” He said, giving Taeyong a small smile. 

“Okay, I’m glad,” Taeyong said smiling back at Sicheng. “Why are you up so early?” He asked, remembering how odd it was for the boy to be up this early. “And where’s Ten?” 

“He was snoring too loud for me to sleep,” Sicheng whined, making Taeyong chuckle. 

“Yeah, Youngho used to do that when we shared a room, I get it. If you ever need early morning company just come on down, I’m normally up early,” He said, smiling. 

“Youngho?” Sicheng questioned, looking at Taeyong in confusion. 

“Oh, that’s Johnny’s Korean name, I use it was a default sometimes,” He replied, smiling at Sicheng. 

“Oooh,” The younger exclaimed, his eyes resting on the skillet of pancakes. “And thank you for the offer, I will if Tennie starts snoring again,” He said. 

“Do you want to start eating?” Taeyong asked, picking up a plate of still warm pancakes and smiling as Sicheng’s eyes lit up. The latter nodded, and Taeyong walked over to his usual seat at the table, Sicheng drifting to his next to him. 

For a while they ate in comfortable silence, too busy enjoying the delicious taste of Taeyong’s pancakes to talk. Eventually, they broke the silence, Taeyong pausing his assault on his plate of food. 

“So, Sicheng, tell me about yourself,” He said, immediately regretting it as he saw the boy tense up slightly. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” He added on not wanting to pressure the younger. 

“No, it’s okay,” He said, giving the elder a tight-lipped smile. “WelI... grew up in China and I have a younger sister. My favorite color is yellow and my favorite food is ice cream. My full name is Dong Si Cheng but my friends call me Winwin,” He said, stopping and furrowing his brow. “That’s all really…” He trailed off, and Taeyong picked up. 

“Well since you told me about you it’s only fair I tell you about me. My full name is Lee Tae Yong, and I’m an only child. My favorite color is black and I’m not really picky about my food. I used to rap and dance when I was in college as a hobby, but now I really just cook,” He said, twirling a piece of pancake in a glob of syrup. 

“You used to rap?” Sicheng asked, and Taeyong found himself involuntarily treasuring the boy’s glinting eyes. “Can you for me?” 

“One day,” Taeyong replied, smiling at him. “One day.”  
( ~ * ~ )  
Movie night came faster than anticipated for Taeyong. One minute he was eating with Sicheng in the morning light and the next he was making snacks in the kitchen bathed in the burnt orange of the sunset. He suspected Johnny would pick some horrible American horror flick like usual, so he made sure not to make anything that would make too much of a mess if it was spilled during a jumpscare. He saw Sicheng and Ten already curled up under a blanket on the couch, both looking like they were nodding off. He smiled as he picked up the bow of popcorn and the pizza Johnny had ordered in and brought them over to the coffee table in front of the couch, resting them down in front of Sicheng and Ten. He went back to retrieve the other snacks and brought them back, only to find Johnny standing in the living room grinning and holding up a copy of Ouija. 

“Of course. I should have known.” 

When Johnny put in the DVD, he and Taeyong settled onto the couch, Johnny on Ten’s side and Taeyong on Sicheng’s. The movie was uneventful, quite bland for the first twenty minutes. He and Sicheng had resorted to hushed conversation among each other, Taeyong trying to keep the obviously nervous man distracted. When the girl was looking through the planchette and the spirit popped up, running at the camera, Sicheng had squeaked and jumped closer to Taeyong, his hand gripping the elder’s shirt. 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Taeyong reassured, reaching a hand up to the other’s wrist to comfort him. “If you want to, we can change it, we don’t mind,” He said, looking into Sicheng’s dark eyes for any signs of hesitation. Sicheng shook his head, breaking his gaze from Taeyong’s. “Are you sure?” He asked, only to be greeted with a nod and a quiet “I’m sure,” 

The rest of the movie continued like this, Sicheng jumping and tensing up and Taeyong asking him if he was alright, and the younger stubbornly insisting he was. By the time the credits rolled, Sicheng was firmly pressed against Taeyong’s chest, and there was audible snoring echoing next to them. Taeyong looked over only to be greeted by a sleeping Ten and Johnny. He chuckled, shaking his head and looked down at Sicheng, who was still glued to him. 

“C’mon Sicheng,” Taeyong said, lightly shaking the younger. “We have to go to bed, you have class and I have work tomorrow, we have to go,” He said, keeping his tone down. 

“I don’t wanna,” Sicheng insisted. “I don’t wanna wake up Ten because he gets grumpy but I also don’t want to be alone, and I-... I’m scared,” He whined, gripping Taeyong’s shirt. The older sighed, reaching a hand behind his back to rub little circles. 

“If you want to, you can sleep in my room tonight, sound good?’ He asked, smiling when the boy nodded. He slowly rose, separating himself and the other. “C’mon, let’s go.” 

Taeyong hadn’t bothered to turn the lights on, knowing how to navigate the room even in the dark. He guided Sicheng by the elbow, walking him towards the crisply made bed. “I can take the floor if you want,” He said, looking at Sicheng through the dark to gauge his reaction. 

“It’s okay,” The younger said, sitting down in the bed. “I-I don’t mind,” Taeyong smiled, walking over to the other side, suddenly glad he hadn’t changed out of his pajamas all day. Taeyong smiled and burrowed under the covers, reveling in the softness. Sicheng followed suit, immediately nuzzling back into Taeyong’s chest. 

That night, Taeyong slept better than he had in a while. 

( ~ * ~ )  
When Taeyong awoke, Sicheng was still in his arms. His face looked peaceful in sleep, the faint light of the sunrise adorning his delicate features. In his stomach, Taeyong felt a pool of protectiveness, the primal instinct to care for and love the man in his arms. He found himself resisting the urge to plant a small kiss on the younger’s head, and settled for just looking at him. He decided, in that moment, that he was undoubtedly whipped. He was whipped for the boy with broken Korean and a soft smile, and he didn’t regret it. 


	9. angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> who knows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS WASNT MEANT TO BE ANGST I SWEAR IT JUST KINDA,,,,, HAPPENED IM SORRY BUT AT LEAST IM BUILDING UP THE SHIPS IG also i am on a roll w these updates

Ten woke up to his phone buzzing in his pocket, his alarm blaring to wake him up for his classes. He groaned groggily and felt around on the material of the couch for his phone, promptly turning the alarm off. He rested his head back on the soft material, letting out another groan. He felt who he presumed was Sicheng behind him and chuckled, it was rare the taller boy was the big spoon when they slept.

Wait.

Ten froze, all sleepiness disappearing. Sicheng wasn’t bigger than him, he knew for a fact that he was just as lanky as he was, but whoever was behind him was. He quickly ran through the penthouse’s occupants in his head. Taeyong was roughly the same size as him, and Sicheng was smaller so that only left one possibility of who it was. Johnny. Ten found his cheeks flare up as he assessed their situation, Johnny spooning him from behind with both arms wrapped around his waist. Ten couldn’t say he didn’t enjoy the warmth, and sure, he wanted to be closer to Johnny, but he as _not_ ready for this-this early in the morning. He rolled over onto his other side, trying to disturb Johnny as little as possible. 

“Johnny,” He said hesitantly, shaking the older man. “Wake up,” He said, shaking harder when he didn’t wake.

“I don’t want to,” He groaned, making Ten grimace.

“You have to, I have school and you have work, come on,” He said, wiggling out of his grip. 

“Fine,” The taller groaned, sitting up slowly. Ten followed suit, getting up and padding into the kitchen.  
_Weird,_ he thought, looking around the empty kitchen. _Taeyong’s not up yet._ Normally the raven-haired male was always up before them, but Ten chalked it up to a late night. He took a granola bar from the cabinet, cramming it down his throat for a less than satisfactory breakfast. He walked up into his and Sicheng’s room to change, only to realize yet another weird thing about that morning. _Sicheng wasn’t anywhere to be found._ He quickly pulled on his clothes, brushing his teeth far faster than normal and darting out the door after grabbing both of their dance bags. He walked back to the kitchen, hoping to find Sicheng there, but on his way, he found something far more shocking. He saw Sicheng emerging from Taeyong’s room, said man trailing behind him, clothes from the night before still on. Ten froze, his brain running at thirty miles a minute. 

“Good morning, Ten, I was just going to go make breakfast, want to come?’ Taeyong asked, and Ten quickly plastered on a fake smile. 

“No no, Winwin and I have an early class we’re late for! We have to go, goodbye!” He said, grabbing a confused Sicheng’s wrist and tugging him out of the room. He ignored the heavy pit in his stomach, writing it off quickly. He quickly dragged the boy out of the penthouse, grateful the other had fallen asleep in his clothes the night before. 

“Tennie, what was that?” The Chinese boy asked once they were in the elevator.

“Why were you in Taeyong’s room?” He asked, grabbing the boy’s hand.

“I-I was scared after the movie and didn’t want to disturb you and Johnny but didn’t want to be alone and he let me sleep in his room with him, why?” Sicheng asked, confusion lacing his tone. 

“I just- I just wanted to make sure he wasn’t taking advantage of you or anything,” He said, squeezing Sicheng’s hand gently.

“Taeyong-ge wouldn’t- he wouldn’t do anything like that,” Sicheng said, furrowing his brow. “He wouldn’t Tennie,” He reassured, stepping out of the elevator with the Thai as it reached the ground floor. 

“I know, I know, I was just nervous, I want to protect you, okay?" Ten said, squeezing his hand again as they approached Taemin’s already running car. 

“You do Tennie, you do,” Sicheng said as Ten opened the door, and he stood up to press a feather-light kiss to his friend’s lips. Ten was stunned, standing at the door for a beat before following him, his head spinning. He blindly sat down, clicking his seatbelt into place. Sicheng grabbed his hand again, and he didn’t resist. He knew Sicheng was naturally sweet but was this crossing the line? He didn’t know why he felt like this way, Sicheng was his friend, his best friend. He shouldn’t have felt a burst of brief sparks behind his lips that traveled into his toes, he shouldn’t have felt elation after the brief brush of lips, he shouldn’t have. He bottled it up, willing it down. He couldn’t feel that way about  
Sicheng, he couldn’t. He wouldn’t let himself.  
( ~ * ~ )

Taeyong and Johnny exited the other elevator, the first being taken by Sicheng and Ten. They woke up too late to dress fully at the house, so the two had only shrugged on shirts and slacks before breezing out the door. They walked out of the elevator to the lobby, where they arrived just in time to see Sicheng press a kiss to ten’s lips before walking into the car, and both men stood there in shock for a moment. They thought Sicheng and Ten were purely platonic, but they guessed they were wrong. Once both men were in their car, seated comfortably in the leather, Johnny broke the silence.

“What was that?” He asked, confusion evident in his tone.

“A kiss, Youngho, are you blind?” He sighed, starting the car and pulling out of the lot.

“I know what it was, don’t patronize me,” His friend shot back. “I mean I thought they were friends, what was that?” He said, looking down at his phone.

“Why do you care, Youngho?” Taeyong asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I don’t just thought- I don’t know. Wait, why are you so pissy about this?” 

“I’m not pissy,” Taeyong snapped back, his grip tightening on the wheel in annoyance.

“No way,” Johnny chuckled, clicking his phone off. “You’re jealous. You’re jealous because you like Winwin, don’t you?” He said, disbelief lacing his tone.

“I don’t,” Taeyong said, his grip on the wheel tightening to white-knuckle as he gripped the wheel. “That would be inappropriate,”

“What, and letting him sleep in your room and cuddle you isn’t?” 

“He was scared Youngho, I was being friendly. Don’t pretend you weren’t practically glued to Ten last night either,” Taeyong shot back, fixing his eyes on the road.  
“Whatever,” Johnny scoffed, shaking his head.

_[Johnny] Your boyfriend is angry._

**[Winwin] ?**  
( ~ * ~ )

Sicheng stood in the doorway to the stage in the banquet hall, his breathing shallow and nervous. The music that signaled the beginning of his performance began, and he walked out onstage. His routine was simple yet elegant for this performance, the motions easy and memorable. He ran through the motions of the routine like a robot, trying to ignore the prying eyes on him as he performed. He spun and jumped through the air, the traditional music filling his ears. He lost himself for a moment in the music, he smiled for a brief moment, forgetting where he was, who he was, what he was. As quickly a the moment came, however, it ended. 

When his routine ended, he slipped offstage, ignoring the applause that followed him. His sister waited at the entrance, holding their mother’s hand. “Sicheng, you did great,” She said, smiling at him. Her praise was empty to him, she knew she only meant it for her own benefit.

They were a well-off family, well-off enough to pay for private tutors to come to their mansion and control every aspect of their children’s lives. Sicheng more often than not found himself envying the birds that flew by, wishing that he could be as free as them, even if it was only for a moment. His parents trained him and his sister in dance, but as she was too young to perform, Sicheng was the only one to go onstage. They used him as a show pony, booking gigs for him to perform at various events. He was only that to his parents, nothing more, and he knew. He was only treated like a puppet. 

Afterward, he stood with his mother and father, smiling and shaking hands with various aristocrats that came his way. He made fake small talk, all his etiquette lessons coming back to him. He knew never to be rude to potential clients, knew his parents would be angry if he did. They were only happy after he performed, and that was the only thing that kept him going some days. When he wasn’t performing, they’d fight. His mother seemed to never smile, and his father was always away on business trips. He knew his father was unfaithful and so did his mother, some nights, when his father was away, he could hear her tears through the walls of the mansion that had slowly turned into the walls of a prison. He wanted more than anything for his family to be a family, to be like the ones he saw on the television that laughed and loved together. 

He felt used after every performance, he never quite knew why. Maybe it was because he was only a source of temporary entertainment. Or maybe it was because he was never truly wanted by the people that watched him, just a pretty face, he didn’t know. He loved to dance, it was his passion, but some days he doubted if he ever wanted to dance again. He never knew what he wanted to do, everything being set out for him without a choice. He wished he had a choice, he prayed every day that he would have a choice. He knew that he would almost never have a choice, and as he stared up at his ceiling that night with tears staining his face, he knew he needed to somehow be free, to somehow find himself.

So two years later, when he found a flier for a foreign exchange student program in Korea, he slipped it into his pocket, filling it out and submitting it in secret. 

Freedom was within reach.


	10. another world

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you're welcome

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i saw giriboy and im too hype to sleep so HERE YALL GO

After a long few hours of staring at the monitor of his computer in frustration, unable to concentrate, Taeyong’s brooding was interrupted by Johnny storming into his office, slamming both hands down on his desk and staring the smaller man down.

“We need to get our feelings out in the open.”

Taeyong groaned, leaning back in his chair and pinching the bridge of his nose. He was not in the mood for this, with three reports due and the proposal deadline fast approaching, the last thing he needed was to be worried about a silly little crush.

“No, Youngho, we don’t. This is just another one of your impulsive emotional decisions, it would be inappropriate of us to engage in-“

“Oh, drop the damn business man talk, will you,” Johnny snapped, eyes narrowing. “They aren’t some sort of company transaction, they’re human. And like it or not, Lee Taeyong, so are you. I know you, you don’t get attracted to people passively, you fall in love,” Taeyong scoffed, and Johnny shot him something between a glare and look of exasperation. “Don’t act like you don’t, I’ve known you long enough to tell.”

“Fine, give one example,” Taeyong borderline snarled, narrowing his eyes back at Youngho.

“One? Fuck man, all your past partners are examples! Irene from high school, Yuta, Jaehyun, all of them! You insisted they were just crushes but within a week you were downright in love with them, you don’t fool me,” He hissed, back stiffening. “No matter how much you deny it, neither you or I can bottle this up. I’ll end up doing something impulsive, and you’re just going to full-on fall eventually. We live with them for fuck’s sake, they’re going to be with us for what, ten more months? Not to mention there’s obviously some attraction between the two. Look at it this way, tell them, we’re possibly fucked, bottle it up, and we’re both definitely fucked.”

Taeyong deep down knew that Johnny was right, knew that every word he had said was true, but he didn’t want it to be, he didn’t. He hardened his eyes, sitting up straight in his chair, putting on his best ‘I mean business’ face.

“I am not telling them, period,” He said, staring Johnny down, willing the other to back down. They remained there for some time, Taeyong’s contact clad eyes boring into Johnny’s deep brown orbs.

Johnny was the first to back down, shaking his head with a mirthless laugh. “Sure, fine, do what you want, push this down, push it away, whatever. You know just as well as me what will happen,” Taeyong watched as the taller stalked out of the room. He stared at the door long after he had left, eyes fixing on the wooden slab as his head reeled. He knew he could only bottle his emotions up for so long. He knew he liked Sicheng, but this was uncharted territory. Sicheng was an exchange student, vulnerable and fragile in a new country. He huffed, brushing his hair out of his eyes. Overthinking wouldn’t help him any, he resolved. Instead, he decided to throw himself into his work, the only surefire thing that would distract him, sometimes a little too well.

( ~ * ~ )

It had been about a week, and Sicheng didn’t know what had happened.

He still sat with Ten, they still touched and cuddled like they did, but something felt off about it. Sicheng still gave him tiny kisses, the gesture just feeling right to him. Ten didn’t seem as receptive and was lost in thought more often than not. When Sicheng asked him, he was always greeted with an “It’s nothing,” and a smile that never quite reached his eyes. Sicheng was worried, he didn’t quite know what to do.

It was after he noticed this that he noticed Taeyong was gone more than normal. He was always gone by breakfast and often not home until what Sicheng could only assume were the wee hours of the morning, as he never came home before Sicheng and Ten went to bed. When the two had asked Johnny about it there had been a pregnant pause that had settled heavy in the air before he had just responded with “overtime,” turning back to the move the three were watching after dinner.

Sicheng was alone that night, Johnny and Ten had gone out to retrieve something the Thai had left in his locker and Sicheng had opted to stay home alone. He rolled over on the couch, restlessness settling in the pit of his stomach as he pulled out his phone, the drama he only partially understood not interesting him at all. He scrolled through his phone aimlessly, checking his various feeds and timelines before opening up his messenger app.

**[Tennie] Coming back now, Taeyong home yet?**

Sicheng worried his lip, his gaze shifting to the door. Taeyong was never home by now, Ten should know that, but Sicheng supposed the other was just being cautious. 

_[Sicheng] No, he isn’t._ After sending off the message he slipped his phone back into his pocket, clicking it off and mindlessly flipping through the various channels on the large flat screen as the light turned from the windows turned quickly from yellow to orange to a dark blue, and finally to nothing. When Ten and Johnny finally re-entered the penthouse, a seed of an idea had flourished into a fully grown plan in his mind, and he set to put it into action. 

( ~ * ~ )

Sicheng lay in bed with Ten, carefully listening to the other’s breathing. Thankfully for him, Ten slept soundly, normally out like a light in a matter of minutes. Once he determined the other was asleep, he slowly slipped out of the bed, bare feet hitting the cold wood of the floor. He padded over to the door, silently slipping out and making his way down to the living room. He settled into the couch, sitting back into the soft suede fabric. 

The silence that filled his ears was deafening, a ringing coming along with it. The penthouse always had some noise, whether it be the sound of the television playing a random program, the babble of chatter between the occupants, the murmur of music from a stereo, or the clinking of dishes inside the kitchen, there was always noise. The silence was unusual, and Sicheng found himself staring out into the Seoul city lights from the wall of windows trying to drown out the silence with his own thoughts. 

After what felt like a small eternity to Sicheng, he heard a beep from the door, a signal that someone (Taeyong) had swiped their key card to enter the penthouse. Sicheng was greeted with the sight of the elder in the doorway, eyes rimmed with purple and blue from lack of sleep. His skin looked pale and unnatural, with his normally perfect hair disheveled and his suit rumpled. 

“Sicheng?”  
( ~ * ~ )

Taeyong walked, slow and zombie-like back to the penthouse. He had been avoiding everyone lately, throwing himself into his work with scary efficiency. He worked early and late, tiring himself to the bone every day. He knew he couldn’t keep this up much longer, if the dark circles, pale skin, and 90% caffeine bloodstream were any indications. He fumbled with the key card for a moment before pressing it to the sensor on the door, hearing the telltale beep of the sensor and click of the lock. He stepped inside, ready to shed all his troubles for the day, but instead found the cause of them sitting right in front of him.

Sicheng.

The Chinese boy was sitting on the couch facing him, baby blue pajamas hanging off his frame with his legs tucked under him as he looked to Taeyong with big eyes. The businessman had not expected this, Sicheng normally was in bed by this time, that was the whole reason Taeyong returned late. 

“Sicheng?” He found the question leaving his lips before he even fully registered what was happening, dropping his briefcase next to the coat rack with a quiet _thud._

“Taeyong-ge?” Taeyong froze at the name, willing himself to step forward into the penthouse. Johnny was right, there really was no way to escape this.

“Yes?” He answered, trying to keep his tone neutral. 

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing I’m just- just working a lot of overtime,” He lied, the question taking him back. He shrugged off his coat, loosening his tie and the cuffs of his sleeves. 

“No Ge I-I feel like I did something wrong,” Sicheng said, and Taeyong’s heart broke as he saw Sicheng’s eyes cloud with what looked like guilt.

“No no no Sicheng, you didn’t do anything wrong,” Taeyong insisted, walking closer to the couch. “I’m just busy, okay?”

“Even Ten is acting weird around me,” The younger mumbled, reaching a hand up to his face. “I don’t know what I did, Ge, I don’t,” He said, tears threatening to spill over. 

“Sicheng, nothing happened, we just have a lot on our minds, okay?” He said, moving his hand out to brush a lock of hair away from the younger’s eyes, only realizing what he was doing after the fact. 

“Taeyong-ge, I know that’s not it,” He mumbled, hanging his head slightly.

“Sicheng it’s-it’s not important,” Taeyong said, torn between potentially destroying their relationship within an instant with the truth, or the possibly more destructive slow working lie. Sicheng was silent, but his head was still hung down low and Taeyong could sense the hurt and confusion coming from the boy. With a deep inhale, Taeyong said what he could only guess was going to destroy him.

“It’s not anything you did Sicheng, it’s-it’s me,” He said, not looking the boy in the eye. His head was in a whirl, thoughts rattling around at a thousand miles per hour as he felt a lump rise in his throat. He hated when Youngho was right. “I like you,” He blurted, keeping his gaze fixed on the city lights behind Sicheng. 

“I like you too, Ge,” Sicheng said, and Taeyong’s heart froze. “Why would I be living with you if I didn’t?” Taeyong felt his heart sink into his stomach, and he steeled himself again.

“I don’t mean it like that, I mean that I’m attracted to you Sicheng, not like friends,” The silence that greeted his words was like spikes in his ears, and he regretted his words immediately.

“You do?” He heard Sicheng say, and he only nodded. There was another stretch of silence, and Taeyong felt the blood pound in his ears.

“I… might like you too?” Sicheng said, and Taeyong felt his heart jump into his throat. “I don’t know really? I-I’m not sure I’ve never really known what it feels like but I know that you make me feel safe and I really like being with you,” Sicheng said, and Taeyong stood there, stunned.

“Really?” The words sounded shaky even to his own ears, and he mentally slapped himself.

“Yes- yes really. I just need to figure out everything right now, but I do like you and, I want to try.”

“Try what?” Taeyong asked, his mind running wild.

“I don’t know,” Sicheng answered, still not looking Taeyong in the eye.

“That’s okay,” The elder responded, sitting down next to the boy. “We can take it slow, I’ll wait for you to figure it out,” _I’ll wait for you forever._

“Thank you,” Sicheng said, looking up at Taeyong with happy eyes. Taeyong felt his heart swell under his gaze, the instinct to protect taking over again, and he gently brushed a thumb over Sicheng’s cheek, leaning in and pressing a feather light kiss on the corner of his mouth. When he pulled away, Sicheng’s gaze was fixed on his lips, and when the Chinese boy pressed a soft, quick, barely there kiss to them, he bore no protest. He felt a warmth spread throughout his whole body through his lips and couldn’t help the huge smile that spread across his features as he rested his forehead against Sicheng’s. The other boy’s face held a smile almost as big as Taeyong’s, and when it turned into a yawn Taeyong chuckled, taking the younger’s hand in his.

“C’mon Sicheng, you should sleep, you seem tired and you have class tomorrow,” He said, although he made no move to pull away.

“Don’t wanna,” The other whined, making Taeyong smile wider at just how _damn cute_ he was. “Wanna stay with you,” Taeyong felt like his heart was going to burst in that moment, the organ pounding against his chest.

“You can sleep in my room again, but you have to sleep, okay?” Taeyong said, and when Sicheng nodded, he slowly rose, still keeping the Chinese boy’s hand in his own as they trekked across the penthouse, only letting go to walk to his drawers and retrieve his pajamas. He walked into the bathroom to change, shrugging the loose t-shirt over his head and pulling his basketball shorts up over his legs before brushing his teeth and washing his hands, exiting the bathroom to find Sicheng already snuggled up in his sheets, and when he himself sunk under the covers, Sicheng immediately wiggled up to Taeyong, and the man readily wrapped his arms around his lithe frame, burying his face into Sicheng’s soft hair.

That night, Taeyong dreamt of Chinese accents and dance studios, and Sicheng of offices and early morning cooking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the next few chapters will be mostly building up the other ships and shit I PROMISE ITS NOT JUST TAEWIN I SWEAR


	11. heartbreaker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yuta nakamoto is a blessing and a curse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my goodness, thank you all so much. The reception to this fic has been simply amazing and i would just like to say thank you all for supporting my messy brainchild ;-; you're all the best

That morning, Ten awoke to a cold and empty bed. This wasn’t too unusual in itself as sometimes Sicheng awoke before him, but he still felt lonely. He missed having the younger in his arms when he woke up, it was comforting, and he liked knowing where the other one was. _Liked knowing Sicheng was safe,_ he thought. He rolled out of bed, trodding down to the kitchen where he found Sicheng and Taeyong, both eating breakfast at the dining table. _Well, that’s new._

“Morning, Tennie,” Sicheng said with a sleepy grin on his face, and with Taeyong there, Ten finally felt things were returning to normal within the small group. 

“Morning Winwinnie, good morning Taeyong,” He said, settling across from the two and helping himself to a small portion of the eggs on the plate. As they ate, Johnny walked in, bedhead looking oddly endearing paired with his sleepy eyes.

“G’morning,” He said, deep voice still gravelly from sleep. He shot Ten a Tired smile, and the Thai tried to ignore the butterflies that took flight within himself. He smiled back, digging into his eggs once more, somehow put more at ease when Johnny sat down next to him. It struck him in that moment that he had missed this, he had missed seeing the other three occupants at the table every morning as they ate together. Over the month he and Sicheng had stayed with him, he found himself considering the other two almost like some semblance of family, a comforting and grounding presence in a still strange city with a still stranger turbulence of emotions brewing inside him.

Once they had all finished eating, Sicheng and Ten walked up to their room, changing into their clothes for the day before saying goodbye to the two businessmen, Sicheng planting a kiss on Taeyong’s cheek before they left, causing Ten’s eyebrows to shoot up into his hairline and a pit of jealousy forming in his stomach. As if on cue, he felt Johnny’s hand press onto the small of his back and was greeted with a smile from the taller man. “Have a good day,” The older said, and when his hand left Ten found himself missing the warmth and weight of it, a faint tingling left in its place. 

For the time being, he decided to push the kiss to the back of his mind for everyone’s sakes. He knew nothing good could come from his jealousy and that it would get him nowhere. _Sicheng as just being affectionate_ , he reassured himself, taking what he hoped was a subtle deep breath. He knew he could be confusing his emotions, he had never thought of Sicheng as a potential partner, but as the other stepped into the car before him with their fingers interlaced, he realized just how painfully n love he was. Maybe not romantically in love, but in love nonetheless. He thought that this must be how some people fall, seeing their best friend every day, learning little things about them, quirks and little oddities that made them who they were. Learning big things about them like their family and where they came from, seeing their smile every day as he learned the contours of their face and little differences about their appearances. 

But on the other hand, he knew he was attracted to Johnny. The man made him feel safe, made him feel loved and cared for just with a small touch to the shoulder or a quiet smile. His touches left fire and butterflies in their wake, and although he knew he didn’t love him, Ten knew that on some level, he was attracted to the elder. Some sick part of him wanted them both, maybe even Taeyong too, Taeyong with all his quiet and strong personality. He knew ho unrealistic it was, how selfish and disgusting he was being, and besides, all three of them wanting some relationship with him was unrealistic, he could admit that. Even asking for one of them would be a stretch, and he knew it. 

The entire day he was distracted, his thoughts swirling in his head like a poisonous cloud. When Yuta had commented on his unusual lack of speech, he had just thrown the other a fake smile, shaking his head and just saying he was tired. The soccer player shrugged and turned away, sensing that the Thai wasn’t ready to talk, and for the first time since he had met him, Ten found himself thanking God for Yuta Nakamoto. 

During their usual after school practice, Ten threw himself into his routine with a rare vigor. It wasn’t his usual joy powered dance, not by a long shot, but rather it was fueled by the need to escape his thoughts, to use his limbs as a conduit for all his pent up negative energy. By the end of their practice, he was panting unusually hard, taking the time to take a rarely needed shower in the locker rooms. He rinsed himself of his sweat, quickly lathering his hair as well to rid it of the odor of sweat. Once he was finished and dressed, he walked to the car with Sicheng, lacing their hands together like usual. The boy slid in first like usual, Ten following him before shutting the door behind them. 

Today had been a long day.

//////////////////

When they had finally returned to the penthouse, they were surprised to find Taeyong and Johnny already home, both men dressed down and lounging on the couch in front of the television where a corny drama was playing.

“Welcome home,” Johnny greeted, making Ten smile.

“You two are back early,” He commented, setting his bag down near the coat rack with Johnny and Taeyong’s briefcases. 

“Yeah, the boss cut us loose early today thanks to Taeyong’s unholy amount of overtime,” Johnny replied, smirking and punching the other in the arm. Thank for taking one for the team man.”

“Oh, I took more than one,” Taeyong replied, sending the other a playful glare.

“That’s what she said,” Johnny snickered, and was promptly punched in the arm by Taeyong while Ten snorted.

“What- what does that mean?” Sicheng questioned from behind them, his brow furrowed cutely in confusion.

“Cute~” All the occupants of the room cooed in unison, making them fall into a fit of giggles while Sicheng blazed red. 

“He’s so innocent,” Johnny crooned, a grin on his face.

“Am not!” Sicheng insisted, only making the room burst into giggles again. 

“Winwinnie, you are,” Ten said, patting the Chines boy’s shoulder, making the younger huff in frustration.

“Anyways,” Johnny said, standing from the couch. “It’s restaurant week here and I have a Japanese place I’m dying to try, anyone in?” He surveyed the room, and Ten sensed Sicheng slumping behind him.  
“I can’t, have to study for an anatomy exam,” He whined, and Johnny nodded. 

“Tae?” 

“I’ll stay here with Sicheng, I took anatomy in college so I may be able to help.”

“Okay,” Johnny said, finally turning to Ten. “Well?”

Ten hesitated before responding, not wanting to leave his friend alone. “Go, Tennie,” Sicheng said, sensing his friend’s hesitation. “I’ll be fine.”

“Okay, I’m in.”

////////////////

Ten found himself in Johnny’s car, riding in the front seat. The Seoul lights towered above them and he rolled down the window, leaning his head out to look at the lights and feel the wind on his face. He rested his face on his hand, his elbow leaning on the frame of the car window. He watched the lights pass by, dimly aware of Johnny’s music playing softly in the background, the wind in his ears drowning out the noise. 

When they came to a stop, a red light dimly flashing somewhere in the distance, adding to the city lights, Ten felt Johnny’s gaze on him. He ignored it the best he could but knew the pink that was bound to be tinging his ear was probably a dead giveaway. 

Eventually, they made it to the restaurant, some Kanji script Ten was incapable of reading adorning the sign in front of the building. As they walked in Ten’s nostrils were filled with the scent of spices and cooked meats, and for a moment he was almost reminded of his home. He and Johnny were seated by a slight Japanese woman with a kind smile, and he found himself drooling over everything on the menu, everything looked tantalizing and delicious. 

Once they had ordered, Ten a tempura bento and Johnny a bowl of udon, there was a brief silence before Johnny spoke. “So, how is school going?” The question seemed oddly parental, and Ten was reminded of all the times his mother had asked that very question to him. Nevertheless, he found himself telling everything to Johnny, from Yuta’s antics to Hakyeon’s pining and Minhyuk’s constant attempts to seemingly eat Hyunwoo’s face. When their food finally came h fond his stories winding down, now ranting about Doyoung’s affinity for carrots and the man’s many odd, bunny like tendencies. “So, how are you and Sicheng?” Johnny asked through a mouthful of noodles, and Ten raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?” He asked. 

“Like how are you two doing? Your relationship going well?” Ten choked, coughing on his tempura briefly before taking a swig of water to calm his throat. 

“We’re not- we aren’t-“ Ten insisted, stuttering and stumbling over his words.

“Oh, god I’m sorry,” Johnny said, eyes fixing on his bowl. “I just thought with how close you two are-“

“No no no, I- you were right to think that,” Ten said, shaking his head.

“How do you mean?”

“I mean that I have feelings for him but not him for me,” Ten snorted, looking at his bowl in disdain.

“I guess I should just say it then,” He heard Johnny say from the other end of the table, and he looked up in curiosity. 

“What?”

“I like you, Ten,” The revelation hit him like a ton of bricks, knocking the wind out of his lungs and the thoughts from his head.

“You- You do?” Was all he could manage to squeak out.  
“Yeah, I do, it’s fine that you return it, I let my emotions get ahead of me if you’re uncomfortable you can go,” Johnny said, and for the first time since the admission, met Ten’s eyes.

“No, I want to stay,” Ten said, inhaling deeply and clenching his shaking fists. “The truth is I like you too I’m just- I’m just confused right now, everything is so complicated and I’m not sure what to do-“ Ten’s breathing was getting faster, and he felt tears prick at the back of his eyes. 

“Hey, Ten,” Johnny said, reaching out a hand and cupping the younger’s in his. “Breathe for me, it’s okay,” He reassured, looking into the other’s eyes. “You’re okay, this is okay, I promise. We can talk this over with Winwin and Taeyong this weekend, don’t be worried,”

Ten froze at his words. “Talk to them? But-“

“Ten, my feelings are complicated too, don’t worry, but we need to talk this out, secrets will destroy us,” He said, and Ten found himself nodding.

“Yeah, okay, yeah. No secrets, I can do that,” He said, and Johnny smiled. 

“I’m glad,” The elder said, rubbing a thumb over Ten’s cheek.

“No secrets,” He repeated again, leaning closer to Johnny, closing the gap between them. The clashing taste of tempura seafood and udon filling his mouth. He didn’t care, because under it all it tasted like Johnny, and it felt like home.


	12. baby don't like it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> angst and fluff that i'm ashamed of

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for no update yesterday, my internet has been especially shitty lately and was off all day yesterday so I couldn't get this update up or put it through my usual editing software. anyways, here's the update! i hope you guys like it T-T

After a long week, Sicheng saw the weekend as a godsend. He had spent less time than he liked with Taeyong over the course of the week. He woke up early ever morning to stay with Taeyong, them making breakfast together became a routine of sorts, Sicheng fumbling around the kitchen like a duckling with Taeyong gently guiding him, helping him through the recipes and the motions. Sometimes Sicheng would be doing something simple, mixing spices or cracking eggs, and he would feel a pair of strong arms wrap around his waist and a face buried in the crook of his neck. Sometimes Taeyong would hum while holding him, his deep voice vibrating trough his chest and into Sicheng’s back as he stood. He smiled when he felt Taeyong behind him, and his warmth felt like home to Sicheng. He never got tired of the tingles that traveled up his spine when he felt Taeyong’s soft hands run over the skin of his waist or the tickle of his breath on his neck. 

The touches were never more than that, Taeyong treated Sicheng like glass, like wrong touches could smudge or break him. They shared brief kisses and small touches, always innocent and soft. Taeyong treated Sicheng like a prince, and Sicheng drank it all up. Now they were sitting on the couch, Ten napping in his room while Johnny went out to find some food. Sicheng was pressed flush against the other’s chest, a blanket covering them while Taeyong held Sicheng’s hand underneath next to their warm bodies. Taeyong’s other hand held Sicheng’s face as the boy looked up at him with a smile. He felt Taeyong pepper tiny kisses on his nose and eyelids, letting loose a tiny giggle as his cheeks turned red. The tiny pecks felt like little bursts of magic against his skin. His cheeks almost hurt from smiling so much, and it all felt so surreal to him. He was sitting in the home of two impossibly handsome and rich men, in one of said men’s arms being spoiled rotten. It felt like heaven to Sicheng.

He closed his eyes and smiled, giggling again when Taeyong pressed tiny kisses to his eyelids. He thanked god Taeyong and Johnny had the weekend off, and he smiled. Normally Taeyong and Johnny only had Sunday off with their hectic schedules and horrible proposal deadline looming, but the two had been granted the weekend off as they had both worked more than anyone and their boss was afraid of overworking them. Johnny described Sehun as a merciful boss, and Sicheng was glad. Color had returned to Taeyong’s complexion over the week, and the begs under his eyes had become less and less apparent. Sicheng was glad he could have this weekend with him, and above all, was just glad to have his housemate back. 

He felt a squeeze of his hand, and he looked up to Taeyong.  
“You look like something’s bothering you,” The man commented, and Sicheng shook his head.

“No, just happy you’re home,” Sicheng replied, smiling softly. He saw a smile spread across Taeyong’s face, and the man looked like he was glowing. 

“I’m glad you think of it that way.”

“What do you mean?”

“Home, I’m glad you think of here like this,” Taeyong replied, and Sicheng nodded. He hadn’t noticed, but he had begun to think of the penthouse as home in the month he had stayed with them. It became a haven within the city, and Sicheng found himself associating the feeling of home with the place. He had companionship there, a sense of belonging he never had back home. He wondered if this was what family felt like, a domestic sense of love and belonging that warmed your bones and your heart. He had never known the feeling, his own family was distant and cold, his house was never truly a home to him.   
_Was this home?_ He wondered. He had truly never felt at home, but if he had to guess what home was, he’d guess it was this. He never thought he’d ever be as domestic as he was with Taeyong, making morning breakfasts and sharing kisses under blankets while he went to school and Taeyong to work. His bliss felt like he was floating on clouds, and he never would have thought he would feel that way.

“You’re thinking too hard again,” Taeyong’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

“I’m not,” Sicheng responded, shaking his head. “I’m just happy,” Taeyong’s face was painted with a grin again, and he pecked Sicheng’s lips.

“I’m glad you’re happy,” He mumbled, nuzzling their noses together. “I only ever want to see you happy,” Sicheng felt a wave of heat rush through him, another fit of giggles coming as Taeyong kissed him again. 

**_WHAM!_** Sicheng jumped as he heard the front door slam, sitting stark upright on the couch. He looked around wildly for the source but was greeted with nothing. “Ge, what was that?” He asked, voice slightly shaken.

“It was probably Ten leaving since I didn’t hear the lock beep,” Taeyong reassured, his hand still clasped with Sicheng’s as he rubbed tiny reassuring circles to the back of the other’s.

“Why would he leave?” Sicheng asked, confusion coursing through his veins. 

“I don’t know,” Taeyong admitted, and that only made Sicheng all the more nervous. “But I’m sure he’ll come back soon,” He reassured, squeezing Sicheng’s hand.

“I hope so, Ge.”

//////////////////////

Ten slammed the door behind him, storming out of the apartment and down into the elevator, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. _Stupid, stupid, stupid._ He scolded mentally, throwing open the doors to the building as the cold Seoul air greeted him. He was stupid to think he had a chance with Sicheng, stupid to fall in love with his best friend, stupid for having the delusion of a happily ever after with his three housemates. Stupid, stupid, stupid. 

He stormed down the streets, wind whipping at his cheeks as he aimlessly walked. He passed hundreds of people but paid none of them any mind. He was guided by the lights of the city, the same ones that had lit his way on his night with Johnny now seemed to haunt him. He felt something drip off his face and raised his hand to realize he was crying. He looked at the glistening wetness on his hand and laughed, some odd euphoria washing over him was he shook his head and laughed, tears still streaming down his face. He knew how he probably looked, some foreigner alone in a big city laughing hysterically on a deserted night street with tears running down his face. He probably looked like a deranged addict, and for a moment, he wished he was. 

He shook his head and continued walking, shoving his hands deep into his pockets and burying his chin into his sweatshirt. He kept walking until his feet hurt, and he was grateful for the callouses on his feet from dance that kept him from getting blisters. Eventually, he felt a drop of rain on his face, then another, then another. He was eventually walking in a haze of rain, his sweatshirt quickly soaking through. He stopped under a closed store’s overhang, sitting down under the dry space to give his feet a rest. He pulled out his phone with shaking hands, cursing when he saw he had 3 missed calls from Johnny. He unlocked the device, typing in his passcode and quickly clicking on Johnny’s contact before raising the phone to his ear.  
Johnny answered on the first ring, and Ten was automatically relieved to hear his voice.

“Ten?” His voice said, crackly through the phone. Ten moved his mouth but couldn’t find the words, jaw moving up and down like a fish. “Ten, Baby, answer me, are you okay?” He heard, and he finally managed to force his voice out. 

“Yeah,” He croaked, his voice sounding wrecked. 

“God, I was worried, are you okay?” He asked, and Ten shook his head despite Johnny not being able to see him.

“No, no I’m not,” He replied, tears threatening to spill over again. “Did you know?” He asked, voice shaky.

“Know what? Ten, you’re scaring me, where are you?” 

“I don’t know,” Ten answered again, a mirthless laugh escaping him. 

“Shit, well uh, what do you see? Like shop wise?” Ten looked at the sign of the shop he was resting at, reading the name emblazoned on the front in a barely legible curly font.

“Jaehwan’s Flowers,” He replied, swallowing a lump in his throat.

“Okay, stay where you are, I’m coming to get you.”


	13. without you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things get fixed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realized how self-indulgent this fic is whoops??? also thank you for all your comments and support on this fic, it's been truly amazing to see. for those who have asked this fic will continue for many more chapters, so you don't need to worry. if you have any questions or anything i reply to every comment i can! my normal twitter is @.seoseouls and my nsfw one (sorry god) is @babyboysicheng and i'll be posting updates about the fic progress on .seoseouls and i also do a shit ton of nct threads so!! anyways enough with my blabbering, on with the fic!

What Johnny saw when he finally pulled up to the flower shop Ten was resting under looked like a mere shell of the cheerful boy he normally saw. He was soaked to the bone with rain, his sweatshirt, and jeans clinging to his frame. Even from his distance, Johnny could tell he had been crying, and his heart felt like it was breaking just by looking at him. He rushed out of his car, not even taking the keys out of the ignition before jumping out and scurrying over to Ten. 

“Ten?” He said, reaching out his hands to the boy’s shoulders, crouching down so they were at eye level. “Ten, what happened, are you okay?” He asked, feeling just how cold the boy was through the fabric of his sweatshirt.

“Did you know?” Ten asked, repeating the question he had asked on the phone not half an hour earlier in a broken, tired tone.

“Know what? Ten, you’re not making any sense,” He replied, moving his head to try and meet the Thai boy’s eyes that seemed fixed anywhere but him. 

“Sicheng and Taeyong,” He said, his voice shaky. “Did you know?”

“I mean I knew Taeyong had a bit of a thing for him but I never thought he’d act on it or anything, why?” He said, choosing the path of truth above lying and tangling himself further within the drama. Ten shook his head, an empty smile painting his face.

“So you did know. I found them on the couch earlier, kissing like some mushy ass couple,” Ten said, and Johnny felt an odd pit of jealousy stir in his stomach. Whether it was over Ten’s attraction to Sicheng or his best friend being with someone else, he didn’t know. 

“Ten, listen, I knew about Taeyong before you told me about how you felt, and I never thought he’d act on it. I had no idea this would happen at all, I would have told you if I knew there was anything between them, trust me,” He said, moving one of his hands down Ten’s arm to gently take his cold hand in his and was relieved when the other didn’t pull away.

“Okay, I’m sorry I just- this is a lot to process for me,” Ten said, shaking his head and visibly fighting back tears. 

“I know I know,” Johnny said hastily, trying to keep the other from becoming too distressed. “It’s a lot for one night and one person, but this is why we need to talk things out okay? Winwin and Taeyong are worried sick about you and you feel freezing Babe, you’re even more reckless than me,” He said, chuckling and smiling when Ten let out a small snort of his own. “I have an extra pair of clothes in the car if you want to change into them, you can’t be comfortable like that,” He insisted.

“Okay,” Ten said, and Johnny immediately got up and popped his trunk, rummaging through it before pulling out a gym bag and handing it to Ten. 

“I have an extra pair of gym clothes in there, and you can change in the back of the car. The windows are tinted to hell so you won’t have to worry about anyone looking in, and I’ll even turn around and stay here if it makes you feel better,” He said, resting his hand on top of Ten’s.

“Thank you,” The younger mumbled, standing up before walking into the car, shutting the door behind him, leaving Johnny alone in the light drizzle outside. The man took this moment to ponder, bringing his palms up to rub at his face. He felt like he was trapped between two people, on one hand keeping Taeyong, one of his oldest friend’s secrets, or having Ten, his romantic pursuit’s trust. He felt lost but supposed this was why he and Ten needed to talk things out, why they needed to clear the air. 

Johnny heard the car door behind him slam, and when he looked at him, he felt warmth spread through his entire body. Ten was wearing his sweatshirt and sweatpants, practically swimming in the fabric. He had sweater paws from the hoodie, his fingertips barely poking out through the sleeves. The sweatpants hung off his hips, the excess fabric swallowing his legs and almost his feet as well. There was something comforting about seeing someone you loved in your clothes, Johnny thought. It was like seeing that they were yours and that they loved you enough to even wear your clothing, to be marked by your scent and say to the world ‘Yeah, I’m somebody’s’. He felt a smile work its way onto his face, the warmth he felt earlier making his fingertips tingle against the cold Seoul night air.

“Well? Are you just going to gawk or are we going back home?”

There was the Ten he knew and loved.

///////////////////

Taeyong still sat on the couch, Sicheng seated between his legs with his back pressed against Taeyong’s chest as they watched a drama to try and calm Sicheng’s nerves about Ten being gone for so long and Johnny rushing out to find him, one of Taeyong’s arms wrapped around Sicheng’s waist while the other held the Chinese boy’s hand. He peppered tiny kisses to the shell of his ear and his temple but still felt the boy’s nerves radiating from him.

Suddenly, Taeyong heard the lock on the door beep and the mechanism click and judging by the way Sicheng had stiffed and snapped his head in the direction of the door, so had he. 

Johnny walked in, Ten behind him. The foreigner’s hair was soaked and Taeyong guessed he was wearing Johnny’s clothes if the way he was practically drowning in the fabric was any indication. Sicheng rocketed up from his lap, scurrying over to his friend while Taeyong tried his best to remain impassive, he knew Ten was upset and didn’t want to make the situation worse by saying the wrong thing.

Sicheng was fretting over Ten, asking him if he was okay and even uttering some Mandarin under his breath on occasion. Taeyong, however, was more focused on Johnny. His friend looked focused, like he was mulling something over in his head.

“We need to talk,” He finally said, and Taeyong felt his blood turn to ice. 

 

A few minutes later, they were all seated on the couch, Ten next to Johnny and Sicheng next to Taeyong. Taeyong could feel that Sicheng’s anxiety was through the roof, and he subtly reached for the boy’s hand, rubbing his thumb calmingly across the boy’s palm, feeling him relax under his touch. Johnny and Ten were sharing what seemed to be some sort of telepathic communication before Johnny finally spoke, his voice cutting through the silence.

“We need to clear the air about some things,” He said, straightening his back in a way Taeyong saw him do at meetings commonly. “First, I think Ten has something to say,” He said, looking at the other male.

“I uh-“ The Thai started, taking a shaky breath to steel his nerves. “I love you, Sicheng,” He said, looking down.

“I love you too, Tennie,” Sicheng replied, and Taeyong felt like he had been punched in the stomach. He was careful to keep his impassive mask on, taking Sicheng’s hand in his.

“No, Sicheng,” Ten replied, and Taeyong felt small fire pool in his gut. “I’m in love with you. Romantically,” He said, and Taeyong felt his heart seize in his chest. 

“You do?” Sicheng asked, and Taeyong gripped his hand.

“Yeah, I do,” Ten said, and Johnny straightened his back again.

“But the problem is, I like Ten,” Johnny said and Taeyong felt his head begin to spin. “And I know there’s something going on between you and Sicheng,” He said, sending an appraising look over to Taeyong. Taeyong had never been more grateful for his business experience then, his impassive mask making him almost unreadable. 

“Oh,” Sicheng said next to him, and a long silence settled over the group. Taeyong’s head spun with the revelations, and he almost felt Sicheng slipping through his fingers like sand, and he felt paranoia and possessiveness washing over him. 

“I- I have an idea,” Taeyong heard Sicheng say from next to him, and he turned to see Sicheng nervously fiddling with the collar of his shirt. “Maybe- maybe we could share?” He proposed, and Taeyong felt like yet another punch had landed in his gut. 

“What?” He, Johnny, and Ten said all at once, all eyes on Sicheng, who was beet red. 

“I-I mean like maybe we all share each other? I don’t know,” Sicheng said, and his nose crinkled in frustration. The room was silent for a long stretch of time, everyone processing what he said on their own.

“I’m in,” Ten said, breaking the tension first. “I’m willing to try,”

“I’m in too,” Johnny said, gripping Ten’s hand. “If Ten wants to, I’m in,”

All eyes now turned to Taeyong, who still hadn’t spoken. 

“For Sicheng,” He said, gaze shifting around the room. “For Sicheng I’m in.”


	14. open the door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things get fixed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm so so sorry i went awol for 2 weeks!! ive had lot of shit to deal with (toxic ex, ptsd, fun stuff) but i promise i'll be back with my regular schedule soon!! thank you for being so patient!! (also, as a little gift, the next update is _tooth rotting fluff_ )

With the new arrangement, nothing had changed much. Ten had expected some kind of explosion like a bomb had gone off in the middle of all he knew, but instead, it seemed as if instead of a bomb there had just been a small catalyst of change, a slight shift in his universe. Johnny was more touchy than usual especially around Taeyong and Sicheng, but Ten didn’t mind. More often than not, he found himself reveling in the times Johnny slid one of his large warm hands into his or when the elder wrapped his strong arms around his waist and kissed the shell of his ear. Nothing had changed much with Johnny, but the same could not be said for Sicheng. 

There had been a more significant shift with Sicheng, it was far more palpable than the change with Johnny. In the few days since Ten’s confession, Sicheng had switched back and forth between Taeyong and his rooms, but nothing had changed in the way they showed affection towards each other. They still shared kisses and cuddled, but there was a shift. Nothing Earth shaking or apocalyptic, nothing too extreme or noticeable, but everything seemed tentative. Every move Ten made was measured, gauged to make sure everything was alright. They were testing new boundaries, and Ten would be lying if he said it was simple or easy. 

With Johnny, it had been like riding a bike. Maybe it had been because Ten knew the other man returned his feelings, or maybe it was because he was attracted to Johnny in a different way than he was Sicheng, but regardless, the Thai had found it easy to share affection with Johnny. Tiny kisses and gentle touches came without hesitation or gauging the other’s reaction. With Sicheng he was more delicate, more cautious as he knew the other hadn’t quite figured out his feelings. They were cautious and clumsy, like two baby chicks bumbling through the first stages of their life. Some nights Ten felt like a love-struck teenager again rather than a twenty-year-old man as he held Sicheng in his arms and placed nervous kisses to his face in the comfort of their shared bed. 

And then there was Taeyong.

The catalyst of change was more apparent with Taeyong than anyone else in the penthouse to Ten. He wasn’t going to pretend he hadn’t seen the jealousy that flicked across his face as he watched Ten and Sicheng work on their homework together with Sicheng sprawled across Ten’s lap. He wasn’t going to pretend he didn’t see the way Taeyong possessively gripped Sicheng’s hand, or that he didn’t see how the man always kept a firm arm around a clueless Sicheng’s waist as a subtle but clear _back off, he’s mine_ whenever he got the chance. Chittaphon Leechiayapornkul liked to think of himself as a smart man, but then again, if he was a smart man, he wouldn’t be in this situation. 

The situation he was in was well… A predicament. 

**[5:47] Sicheng: Babysitting with Johnny and won’t be home! Sorry Tennie!**  
Ten was fucked.

This meant an unspecified amount of time alone with Lee Taeyong, and he wasn’t sure he was ready for that. If he had been smart, he would have called Yuta and accepted his offer to study (read: drink) at his apartment that night, but alas, he hadn’t. Ten cursed sleep for his problems, as if he hadn’t been sleeping, he would have seen Sicheng’s text in time and been able to escape the penthouse. But to his misfortune, when he had woken up and read the text, he heard the door open as Taeyong returned from his grocery run. Ten felt his blood turn to ice, but also remembered what Johnny had told him, that they wouldn’t be able to move forward without communication. He hated, absolutely _hated_ that the older was right, and resolved to eventually prove him wrong one day.

But today was not that day.

He rose out of his bed, striding over to the door which he tentatively opened. As he padded barefoot down the hall he was greeted by the sound of bags rustling in the kitchen and the low hum of the refrigerator’s cooling system. He slipped into the kitchen, shooting Taeyong a smile that he hoped didn’t betray his nerves.

“Want some help?” He asked, keeping his smile up as Taeyong flitted back to one of the bags to pull out a loaf of bread. 

“Sure,” He simply responded, and Ten set about rifling through the bags of groceries to find things to put away. He was always pleasantly surprised by what was bought for the house’s four occupants. Although Johnny and Taeyong enjoyed eating healthy thy still catered to the eating habits of Sicheng and Ten, buying Ten Thai food and ingredients and Sicheng ice cream and Chinese snacks and sweets (Which Taeyong insisted were for just Sicheng, but everyone knew he snuck some of the sweets when he thought no one was looking). 

When they had finished, Ten stood there for a moment in the middle of the kitchen before abruptly blurting “Do you hate me?” to a rather taken aback Taeyong.

“No, I don’t why?” He asked, leaning back against the granite counter, and Ten seemed to be able to look anywhere but the elder man.

“I just- I feel like you see me as some kind of competition for Sicheng,” He said, his eyes still trained on the floor. There was a pregnant pause for a moment, silence enveloping the room before Taeyong spoke up.

“I’m not going to lie to you, Ten, I do sometimes see you as competition for Sicheng. I’m working on not feeling that way, I know to make this work I need to be more open and I’m willing to try if it’s for Sicheng. Just know that I don’t resent you okay? I just need some time to get used to this,” He said, gesturing with his hand around the penthouse. “Whatever this exactly is.”

“Yeah, okay- I- Yeah,” Ten said, relieved with Taeyong’s response. “Thank you, I was just worried about-“

“Don’t be.”


	15. chewing gum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cute shit ensues because of jaehyun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter i had queued up for today, thank you for the warm reception of my return!

Sicheng slightly regretted allowing Johnny to drive him to Jaehyun’s hotel.

The Chinese boy had been coerced by the man to come over through text, and Johnny had insisted on driving him to the hotel as it was Taemin’s day off. Sicheng knew there was some catch hidden behind Jaehyun’s invitation, but he had been too polite to ask. He and the male had become close over the past month, texting regularly and occasionally Jaehyun would drop by Ten and Sicheng’s school in between classes to visit the two. Still, Sicheng found the other’s sudden request odd even though they were friends. Nevertheless, he had entered the car with Johnny and the two were currently parking in the garage next to the hotel. 

After Sicheng exited the car he walked next to Johnny, their fingertips tangled together in a loose semblance of hand-holding. Physical contact with Johnny came easily to Sicheng, then again, physical contact with _anyone_ came easily to Sicheng. He had been an extremely tactile person ever since he was young, craving hugs and kisses frequently. If anything, he’d say physicality was his strong suit, it was emotional connections that were hard. He wasn’t like Ten, who communicated easily with everyone with his sunny personality, and sometimes he resented himself for it. However, Johnny and Taeyong were patient, and he thanked his lucky stars for it. Johnny never pressed him to talk, and he was grateful for it. For now, the two were content like this, fingers loosely intertwined in silence while Sicheng leaned against the other as they walked. 

They were content, and that was all that mattered in that moment.

When they found themselves at the front desk, they were greeted by a very frazzled looking Jaehyun and a small child pulling at his pant leg. 

“Sicheng, Johnny, thank _god _,” He sighed, looking at the men like they had just saved his very life.__

__“Jae, what’s going on?” Johnny asked, quirking an eyebrow up at his friend, eyeing the kid still pulling at his pant leg. Asking more about Jaehyun’s frazzled state than how he was._ _

__“My sister left her kid with me and my employees Donghyuk and Mark are out sick and I can’t find a sitter with this short notice,” Jaehyun said, and Sicheng sensed he knew where this conversation was going. “Ten said you’re good with kids and I can’t take care of Chenle here for much longer before I blow a gasket, could you please watch him?” He pleaded, and Sicheng immediately crumbled under his gaze.  
“Okay, what do I need to do?”_ _

__/////////////////////////_ _

__Sicheng had found out bits and pieces about Chenle from the introduction Jaehyun had given him and Johnny before leaving the child with them. He learned Chenle was two and a half years old and originally from Shanghai and spoke both Mandarin and Korean (which pleased Sicheng to no end). His mother had given birth to him in China and only recently moved back to Korea with the boy. From the short time Sicheng had spent with the boy, he could tell he was well spoken (if only for a two-year-old) and _heart wrenchingly_ cute. _ _

__Chenle was currently sitting on the floor of one of the hotel rooms playing with a set of blocks his mother had dropped off with him and he sang a children’s song in Mandarin._ _

__“What are you building?” Sicheng asked him in Mandarin, and the small boy looked up at him in surprise before replying._ _

__“ ‘m building a dinosawr,” He said, placing another block precariously high on the tower of blocks. Sicheng cooed at how cute he was, ruffling his hair with a hand._ _

__“It looks good!” He replied, smiling when Chenle beamed back at him with a gap-toothed smile. Truth be told, he had no idea how the block sculpture was supposed to be a dinosaur at all, but he supposed anything could happen in a child’s imagination._ _

__He looked up at Johnny, who was confusedly looking between the two and giggled. He stood up and leaned against the taller man’s chest, smiling when he felt his long arms wrap around his waist and intertwine their fingers._ _

__“Sorry,” He said, smiling up at him. “It’s just easier for me to chat with him in Chinese,” He explained, and Johnny simply nodded before burying his nose in Sicheng’s hair and pressing a kiss to the crown of his head that made his face heat up._ _

__“Whatever makes you happy, Sicheng.”_ _

__Their serenity was promptly interrupted by a loud ** _crash!_** and the sudden sound of sniffling, and they whipped their heads back around to see Chenle sitting in a minefield of fallen blocks with a quivering bottom lip. Sicheng rushed over to him, scooping the small boy up in his arms and petting his hair._ _

__“Are you okay, LeLe?” He asked, checking the boy for scrapes and bruises, thankfully with no results._ _

__“ ‘m okay,” The boy responded, eyes brimming with tears. “But my dino…” He trailed off, crystal teardrops sliding down his face as Sicheng looked to Johnny in panic._ _

__“I’ll tell you what, Chenle,” Johnny said, leaning down to look t the crying boy in Sicheng’s arms. “How about we go out and get some ice cream and then we can go to the toy store and get you a new dino, how about that?” At the mention of ice cream, both Chinese boy’s eyes sparked with interest, and for one moment Johnny felt unsure of which one of them was the child and which was the caretaker._ _

__///////////////////////////_ _

__At the ice cream shop, Johnny and Sicheng promptly realized this was more than they had bargained for. Chenle had managed to somehow get his ice cream all over his sweater as well as his face, which a very distressed Sicheng was trying hard to clean up._ _

__“Sicheng,” Johnny said, placing his hand on the boy’s wrist when he looked like he would burst from not being able to remove the stain from the two-year old’s sleeve. “Let’s just get him a new one. We’ll be in the mall anyways and it’s not like we’re short on cash, don’t worry.” Sicheng’s brow furrowed and he pouted for a moment before slowly nodding and going back to his ice cream._ _

__Johnny chuckled as Chenle dropped the spoon for his ice cream into his empty bowl before rolling over on the bench and yowling “Brain fweeze!” and gripping his head. Sicheng looked alarmed at first but settled back into his chair when he realized what was happening, letting out a small chuckle with Johnny._ _

__“Cute.”_ _

__///////////////////////////////_ _

__Taking a child to a toy store while hopped up on ice cream had been Johnny’s second mistake. Chenle had zoomed around the store looking at everything and Johnny and Sicheng were still at a loss as to how someone could move that fast with such small legs. Eventually, to their relief, Chenle settled down and decided on a charming light beige dinosaur plushie with pastel pink horns on its head and ridge along his spine. Sicheng was certain his heart would burst the moment he saw the boy hugging the plushie to his chest, and he knew he was a goner for the little kid._ _

__When they arrived at the store for Chenle’s new sweater, Johnny managed to find him a beige sweater that matched his dinosaur plushie, and when the boy had tried it on while holding the stuffed animal Sicheng was positive he would melt into a puddle then and there. When they finished and paid for the sweater (which had an ungodly price tag for clothes for a toddler if you asked Sicheng) Chenle made grabby hands up at Sicheng, who only cocked his head in confusion before the boy said. “Up,” more a question than a demand. Sicheng had swooped down and scooped the little boy up in his arms, smiling at the little happy squeal that bubbled out of the child._ _

__In that moment, Sicheng found himself feeling like he truly belonged for the first time in a long while._ _

__///////////////////////////_ _

__Back at the hotel, Sicheng and Chenle had both passed out on the bed, Chenle curled against the elder’s chest as they slept, breathing in tandem. Johnny smiled to himself, admiring Sicheng as he slept. His face was peaceful and his hair formed a raven halo on the pillow around him. Johnny had been content that day to sit back and watch Sicheng with Chenle, admiring how the two interacted. He had felt his heart melt over and over from seeing Sicheng with the smaller boy and how they interacted. He loved seeing how Sicheng had held him and smiled when he held him and the pride in his eyes when Chenle did anything “grown up”. He had loved feeling Sicheng’s dainty fingers entangled with his and feeling his weight against his chest. All in all, he had loved the day he had spent with him, and as he leaned down to press a kiss to Sicheng’s forehead, he found that in time, he could come to love Sicheng as well._ _


	16. taste the feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> oops

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i swear to god the moment i say i'll be back on my schedule... my aunt died and i'm busy cleaning out her apartment and my yakuza uncle just got his jail stay extended so we've had lots of meetings with lawyers and him in jail so i'm just super busy, i'm sorry. i'm really trying my best.

For the next week, things settled down in the penthouse. Everyone had grown closer in the time, still tentatively learning boundaries and things the others loved. Sicheng had enjoyed the time, balancing his time between classes and his housemates carefully. They hadn’t put a name on their relationship, and quite frankly, Sicheng didn’t know what to call it. All he knew was that he loved the affection he received from his housemates, and he was content with that. He loved feeling Taeyong’s strong arms around his waist and Johnny’s fingers intertwined with his, he loved being showered in kisses by Ten and feeling his best friend’s heart beat against his. He felt like he truly belonged with them, a feeling he’d never had at his home. 

Sicheng cringed at the thought of his home, at the memories that came back with it. If he was honest with himself, he knew Korea hadn’t been a ‘fun new experience’, it had been a place to run to. He had run away from his family to Korea, run from all his problems and the bitter memories of his home. He remembered all the nights where his parents screamed and fought and his sister crawled into his bed for safety with disturbing detail, the nights ingrained in his mind. He remembered locking himself in the dance studio in his parent’s mansion for hours, dancing and rehearsing until his feet were riddled with blisters and every breath felt like fire in his lungs. He felt horrible for leaving his sister alone in that house, for running, but it was the only thing he could have thought to do. 

He felt his breath catch in his throat as he remembered how his father had looked down on him, only ever regarding him after his performances. He remembered all the nights he had been in a mansion full of servants and family, yet never felt so alone as he stared up at the ceiling in the dark.

It was just hitting him that he had to go back one day, that Korea wouldn’t be forever. He would have to leave Ten, Taeyong, and Johnny, he would have to go back to China and make a life for himself (Or at least the life his parents wanted for him). He felt a tear slip down his cheek, despair wrenching in his chest. He was only brought back by a hand enveloping his and Ten’s voice fighting through his thoughts.

“Sicheng? Are you okay?” He asked, concern filling the eyes Sicheng couldn’t bear to look into.

“I’m okay Tennie, really,” He said, wiping his eyes with his free hand. 

“No, you’re not,” Ten replied, and he put a hand on Sicheng’s waist, guiding the Chinese boy so he was straddling him on the couch. Ten looked up into Sicheng’s eyes, pressing the open sides of the palms of their free hands together. “I know everything is weird right now, and I know you’re nervous about back home. I’m not going to force you to talk about it right now, but I just want you to know that I’m here,” He said, interlocking their fingers as he leaned his forehead against Sicheng’s. Sicheng scooted closer on his lap, locking his legs together behind his best friend. He felt Ten’s hand slip out of his own, and he would have whined at the loss of contact had it not been for said hand reaching up and caressing his cheek, Ten’s thumb running along where Sicheng’s tears had been.

“I love you,” Ten whispered like it was a secret only to be heard by the two of them. He looked at Sicheng with such reverence and love, the boy could hardly believe it. 

“I love you too,” Sicheng whispered back, leaning closer so their noses were brushing together. “I love you so much,”

Ten moved his chin so his lips were a hairsbreadth away from Sicheng, so close he could feel the heat radiating off the Thai boy’s lips. “Do you want this?” he asked, looking into Sicheng’s eyes.

“Yes.”

It felt different than all their other kisses, it wasn’t a fleeting peck or a joking smooch, but a deep kiss, all their adoration, and feelings poured into it. Sicheng kissed him slowly, savoring the feeling of Ten against his lips. He moved one of his hands to Ten’s jaw, rubbing a thumb along his cheek as their lips moved in perfect synchronicity. He felt every nerve on his body light up with energy, his mind only filled with _Ten Ten Ten_. 

When they pulled away for air, Sicheng locked their lips again as soon as he could. He kissed Ten like he _was_ his air. Eventually, their kisses transformed into lazy, open mouthed kisses, both parties pouring all their emotions into the connection. Sicheng felt electric, he felt on top of the world. Ten’s arms were locked around his waist while Sicheng’s were locked around his neck, both trying to pull themselves impossibly closer as they sat flush against each other’s chests. Sicheng felt himself smile behind the kiss as he felt the electricity in his bones rise, and he found himself so lost in Ten that he dialed to notice the door open.

“Mind if we join?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the next chapter isnt porn i swear it just sounds like it


End file.
